Through The Looking Glass
by casket4mytears
Summary: Alice's horrifying visions send Jasper and Alice on a race against time for the one possible thing that may halt the Volturi's evil plans: another living hybrid. In canon with the series; part two in series. Read Down The Rabbit Hole FIRST.
1. Opening Move

_AN:_

_**First things first: this story is a continuation in many ways of new canon established in my fic Down The Rabbit Hole. As the story progresses, you will need to know that mythology to follow this story. Click my profile to locate it.**  
_

_Alright, you asked for it (especially a certain handful of you): what happened to Alice and Jasper during their time apart from the Cullen clan in Breaking Dawn? We're about to dive in and find out, with a few surprises along the way._

_Reviews are, as always, critical. I'm hitting a busy phase in life, so those spoiled by my previous speedy updating speed will have to remain a little more patient this time. Hopefully, you will agree it's worth it._

_This first chapter borrows dialogue from chapter 28 of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer for continuity; no infringement is intended._

_**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author; they merely vacation in my brain now and again. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_This story is a work of fiction and is not based on any actual events. No implications about publicly recognizable places, settings, people etc. are to be made based upon the events of this work._

* * *

**One: Opening Move**

Red and orange on lightning-white.

It was a fiery prism, almost blinding to her sensitive eyes as she scanned the carnage, the smell of burning flesh and bone assailing her as she drew in a deep breath, a habit of the life she masqueraded for her family's survival . She had seen it twice already, a loop she'd give anything to shut down in her mind's eye yet felt powerless to ignore.

She watched the men in black robes chuckling as what was once a blonde woman melted into a flame matching her fierce temper in life, her long locks singed and charring, her body paralyzed not by fear, but by force. A small cherubic young girl with a sinister snicker danced among the seven burning statues in the large clearing. All sounds of nature were absent.

There was nothing natural about this.

Atop a hill, a woman with long brown locks shook and screamed as several of the cloaked figures held her, her words repeating at a dizzying pace: _Edward! Damn it, Edward, don't give in!_ She turned to follow the slender and pale woman's gaze, horrified as her brother mutely followed a trio of figures she had come to know well in her life. The Volturi were taking him, by mental force it seemed. His face seemed pained, but he ignored the struggling woman fifty feet away, ignored her plea to remember her and their child.

_Renesmee. Where is Renesmee?_

Figures turned to ashes all around as she scanned the crowd, desperately seeking the tiny blonde she adored as if she were her own. Her answer lay bloody and broken beside the fallen russet wolf in the distance, a single paw drawn protectively over the now lifeless body, a final declaration of his devotion and loyalty. Other wolves lay strewn along the field, other bodies lifeless and unseeing. She could see at least five. Splashes of red met the patches of pale snow dusting dark earth, weeping into the frozen soil as she now wished she were still capable of doing, and a desperate thought wondered if she could staunch the flow somehow with her tiny pale hands. She also wondered _how_ she could see anything, if their fates were blended with their own. Perhaps if destined to die, their immunity to her gift eroded?

She saw _him_ next, his long black flowing hair standing in stark contrast with his translucent skin, and cringed, heard his thoughts as clearly as if he'd spoken them aloud in her ear: _We have the assets we sought to acquire... All except for one._ His smile as so many of their kind perished about him shook her to her core; were she able to feel chilled, she would be icy with that sight, with its silent sound of sick satisfaction. His associate, long white hair flowing in a sudden winter breeze, nodded: _A shame to lose one so useful_. In the growing ashes nearest him, tumbling blonde locks fell atop the head of a slight girl with short black hair, his scarred arms wrapped about her as fiery tongues licked their feet, their arms, their torsos. In her head, the echo of their last words reverberated, striking a dagger into her chest that made her long to vomit as humans did with rage and sorrow.

_I love you, Alice._

_Hold me tight. Don't let them take me, Jazz._

_Unconditionally and forever._

_I love you. I'm so sorry... _

Together in death, just as she had always hoped for, for the possibility of life without Jasper was a life she could not dare to imagine. He was her complement, the moon to her twinkling starlight. He was her reason for all that she'd endured, the one who had stood at her grave and pledged his love, his amber eyes welling with tears that could not be shed. But death... This...

_The Volturi are coming for us. There's nothing we can do.  
_

From beyond the vision, the voices of her family seeped in, a frantic debate over witnesses, over support from friends. Their decisions carved out a new image, one with more bodies, more burning.

Absently, she spoke to them, "We'll have to ask them just right. They'll have to be shown very carefully."

"Shown?"

Her eyes scanned to the muscular blonde man beside her and over to the blonde child, the one whose limp corpse haunted her memory, a vision she quickly shoved away and denied, clearing the slate in her brain and keeping it hidden in her breaking, unbeating heart.

"Tanya's family," she said. "Siobhan's coven. Amun's. Some of the nomads— Garrett and Mary for certain. Maybe Alistair."

"What about Peter and Charlotte?" the blonde asked.

"Maybe."

And then, another flash, a tearing across her field of sight, revealing an ugly truth beneath it. An unknown figure yanked the brunette's hair back violently, her teeth bared and a snarl ripping from her throat. _You had NO proof she would be dangerous! _

In the vision, Aro shook his head. _We had no proof she wouldn't be. You do understand, we must protect all of us, our secret, Bella._

Her mind whirled wildly as an idea hit: _Proof. We need proof._

"The Amazons?" her father suggested suddenly from beyond, "Kachiri, Zafrina and Senna?"

The image exploded, a supernova, and there was humid junglescape in its place, trees and flora she had never before witnessed in her many years. The greens, yellows and blue flooded together into a spiral, spinning away to three dark-skinned and elegant figures, set in silhouette against a setting sun…

Suddenly, there was blindness. The visions halted in a way she'd come to understand meant one of two features within her fate: wolf or hybrid. Her eyes snapped back into focus, her adoptive father's face staring at her with concern. Quickly she averted her eyes, knowing instinctively that choices would have to be made, choices that would tear her family apart emotionally. Choices that could save all of their lives, or end them.

"I can't see," she said quietly.

Her brother's searching mind felt almost palpable in her pounding head, "What was that? That part in the jungle - are we going to look for them?"

"I can't see," she insisted again, "We'll have to split up and hurry—before the snow sticks to the ground. We have to round up whomever we can and get them here to show them."

In her mind, the dreadful vision in the field rewound: _We have the assets we sought to acquire... All except for one._

"Ask Eleazar. There is more to this than just an immortal child," she added, intentionally vague.

The jungle whirled back into view. One of them reached out to her, a strong hand, a single word: _Libishomen_…Again, the blindness. The blinders to all but the trees, the vines winding about, large brilliant insects settled upon the emerald leaves. The running, the scenery rushing by, the understanding that she was pursued, by friends, not foes, bodies charging into water, diving deep, arms flailing desperately against the tides. A waterfall. A cliff. A haunting voice: _Libishomen_…

"There is so much. We have to hurry," she whispered.

"Alice? That was too fast—I didn't understand. What was—?"

"I can't see!" she snapped at her brother, desperately seeking distraction, "Jacob's almost here!"

A stunning blonde, one whose fiery temper had met a fiery end moments before, stepped forward, "I'll deal with—"

"No, let him come," she said quickly, the urgency an electric charge in each limb, driving her to _movemovemove_ and now, damn it, NOW.

Her hand seized that of the tall, strong blonde whose companionship and love had supported her for so many years. With a strength that would seem impossible for her size to a casual human observer, she nearly dragged him towards the back door of the house, her mind shouting random words, driving her brother's probing backwards. The less he knew, the more hope they had in the hell to come.

"I'll see better away from Nessie, too. I need to go. I need to really concentrate. I need to see everything I can. I have to go. Come on, Jasper, there's no time to waste!"

His eyes met her, wide with confusion. She understood it, understood her reasons merited it, and still, it pierced her soul for being the cause of any grief. Her eyes locked with his, pleading: _Trust me, love. You promised. Unconditionally and forever._

Their bodies spilled into the shimmering light of the full moon above, her tiny hand seizing the doorknob and yanking it shut in almost synchronized fashion with the wolf she felt entering the front door.

"Hurry!" Alice yelled, praying they'd heed her, "You have to find them all!"

Her hand intertwined with her mate's, she ran desperately towards the creek's shore, leaping it without hesitation, trusting he would follow. He did, and her fear began to fade into a calm that she was certain was his doing. Grinding to a halt near a fork towards the small cottage where Bella and Edward made their home, she spun to face him.

"You're not helping!"

"You're not giving me any answers," Jasper snapped in reply.

"I will, out of Edward's range. Do you trust me?"

"I do," he whispered.

"You will follow me?"

"To the end of the earth and beyond, Alice."

"Then follow, and once we've left Forks, I promise I-"

His words broken in, his face furrowing in confusion, "Leave Forks?"

"Quiet! He'll listen. I need to see. I need silence."

Reluctantly, the questions hovering on his lips remained silent, his arms winding around her frame, pulling her against him. His fingers slipped into the wild spikes of her jet-black hair, twirling them about as he kissed her head.

"Will we return?"

With some hesitation, she sighed and pressed her cheek to his chest, "If there's anything to return to…"

"It's that bad, then?"

"It could be."

The bodies strewn along the field echoed through her memory, and she shuddered. _If that blindness isn't what I hope it is, it could be that bad, and worse. _In her mind, she began to search, untangling the web of the decisions of dozens of players, each with their own butterfly flutter on the outcome of what would be a battle bordering on war, a winner-take-all she didn't dare entertain losing. She had four hours at best to plan, to prepare for the journey into blindness ahead.

Eternity suddenly felt terrifyingly finite.


	2. King's Indian Defense

Jasper paced twenty feet from the tree under which Alice had sought refuge, the anxiety and frustration rolling off of her slight form in such violent waves, he'd felt compelled to walk it off, an intensity of emotion he'd not struggled with since the night Edward had ordered them to leave Forks for Bella's sake. That night had seemed an insurmountable mass of tangled emotion that he'd believed forever history with Bella's transformation; apparently, he was wrong. And to feel so much negativity streaming from Alice, from the one person whose happiness drove his entire existence – and to _do nothing about it_ – was a special hell on earth from which Jasper longed for speedy reprieve. Was this a purgatory, a karmic payback for the sins of his lives – both mortal and eternal? Jasper didn't wish to linger in this electric storm of mute screaming much longer. He kicked a nearby boulder, sending a large jagged crack coursing up its surface, and fought the instinct to soothe Alice, mindful of her harsh condemnation only two hours before.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Just two weeks shy of revealing their secret news, they should be in a state of bliss, of quiet reverie and public nudges. Instead, they were…

_Stop that thought. Edward. I just wish Alice would tell me what she was seeing._

"Damn it!" Alice cursed, hanging her head, shaking it gently side to side.

"Can I help?" Jasper asked quietly.

"No!" Alice snapped, quickly sighing in regret, "No, Jazz. I'm sorry. This part, it's all me."

Jasper nodded, turning from her to conceal the sting of her reply. Alice had seldom spoken a harsh word to him in their decades together, seldom raised her voice. Twice now, in one day, was a little much to bear. He understood only that things were grave, desperate perhaps; the Volturi had fixed a vengeful eye upon the Cullen family and would not be dissuaded or appeased easily. But why? And why was Alice so frantically searching the future, if she already knew what would come? The pieces were already in play, were they not? From behind him, a triumphant murmur escaped Alice's lips, the soft high-pitched notes trilling at him like an alarm.

"Finally!" Alice declared as he turned to face her, watching as she ran a hand through her unruly short locks, "Stage two, then."

Jasper's brow furrowed, "Stage… two? Alice, no offense, but we have been in this spot for a solid two hours. Did I miss something?"

Alice grumbled, "I told you, Jazz; Edward could hear. It is CRUCIAL for our survival that we not be overheard in any fashion. Soon, I promise. Will you wait here?"

Jasper frowned, "You know what? NO. Alice, goddamn it! I love you, more than anything, but leaving me here helpless and in the dark, only to dart off when the Volturi are seeking our destruction –"

Alice sighed, tip-toeing to silence him with a light kiss, "We have at least a couple of weeks, best I can tell. We'll be long gone before then. Jazz, Edward knows I'm a pro at blocking his snooping. He's going to go prying into your mind before my own. The less you know, the less you witness, the safer all of us will be. I know it's not in you to let me handle things on my own –"

"Especially after last year in Mississippi, and _with damn good reason_-" Jasper began to protest.

Alice frowned, "I _know_ all this, and I would have hoped that the past would stay there. But please, please trust me. It's life or death for us all, Jasper. I'm not being melodramatic. We have one chance – _maybe_ – at averting our entire family's demise. I checked all the possible actions and pathways and all but one ends in our collective deaths or imprisonment under Volturi rule."

"Is that what you were doing then? Checking courses of action?" Jasper asked quietly, feeling his frustration soften.

"A good chess player thinks five moves ahead before making one, anticipating all counters possible by her opponent."

"Chess, then? So it will be a battle of wits with Aro?"

"That should have been a given. Now please, stay here. I won't be longer than half an hour at most. I need to leave a little hope. Give me your cell phone?"

Jasper froze, his hand absently reaching for the tiny device, "Don't you have your own?"

"It has to be yours. _Jasper, I'm begging_. Trust me."

Jasper relinquished the black phone, his heart twisting in a silent protest as Alice bounded southeast, a move that perplexed Jasper. Nothing lay in that direction, save Bella and Edward's new home, and with Edward a priority to avoid, Alice was surely headed elsewhere. But where? And why?

Jasper tugged absently at his hair, willing himself to divert his thoughts. Alice was precisely right: Edward would indeed be desperately trying to hear Jasper's thoughts and words first, were he to grow curious at their absence. Instead, he'd busy his mind with other thoughts, then. Plato? Socrates? Reciting the Greek Alphabet? Or perhaps a little Russian conjugation? None of these appealed to Jasper in his irritated state, leaving him huffing and launching himself into the branches overhead, long legs dangling as he rewound to his time fighting alongside Maria, Peter and Charlotte, that time just before Peter's choice, the one that sparked his own personal evolution and path towards Alice. The last thing Jasper had ever dreamed of in his rather long life was another war, another battle on grand scale. The destruction of Victoria's army had been more than enough death for his next century. The thought of another battle, against the Volturi no less, whose powerful fist of furious justice was one he'd witnessed before… Jasper shook himself, forcing his gaze towards the east, awaiting Alice's return. Soon, he would know all that she knew. Soon, he would know if there was reason to hope.

Alice dashed wildly along the subtly worn path tracing towards the cottage nestled within the Cullen's extensive property, her ears and eyes anxiously seeking out signs of activity, of Edward, Bella or Nessie. Bella was the one person Alice could handle, if necessary; with her inability to be heard by Edward, she could be counted on to possess more knowledge than some. Aro was not the formidable vampire force he was without good reason; he employed his gifts to full advantage, and would immediately do so upon the Volturi's arrival. And there would be an arrival; if the decision being made prior to Irina's accusations did not confirm it, the fact that Alice had traced dozens of courses of action, perhaps a hundred, to find the Volturi here in Forks each time was proof. It was as certain as if it already were. Their only chance for salvation lay in concealing their weapons and plans from Aro and the others.

This was why Alice had returned to the cottage: to leave behind the one shred of information she needed to impart with the one person who would be safe from Aro's gifts.

Pausing among the trees, the leaves shimmering with the light of the waning moon above, Alice nodded to herself happily, dashing quickly to the door and throwing it open, grateful that the entire family seemed to have remained in the main house, awaiting Alice's return. A twinge of guilt slammed through her body as she began to appreciate the gravity of what she was about to do to the only family she'd known, the parents and siblings she had never had. The tiny face and golden curls of her niece drifted into her mind and she felt her resolve harden. It was the only way to protect all that they loved. She would atone for it later – if there was a later.

_Edward. Damn it. An object at rest tends to stay at rest. The capital of Canada is Ottawa. The monarch butterfly is in danger of extinction. To be or not to be; that is the question._

Alice frantically searched the room, her endless recitation of useless information forceful and cheery, in an attempt to mask the fear within. Her eyes drifted to a lonely shelf of books, upon which sat several well-worn paperback copies of Shakespearean plays. The breaking spines and dog-eared pages would never have been abided by Edward; they were all surely Bella's. Alice skipped to the shelf, reciting Shakespeare as she scanned the titles absently.

_From ancient grudge, break to new mutiny/Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean/From forth the fatal loins of these two foes…_

A title caught her eye, and Alice lunged at it, smiling widely. _The Merchant of Venice_, the worn cover read, the artist's rendering of Shylock upon the cover scarcely visible through what Alice supposes to be a fruit punch stain.

"Oh Bella! I certainly hope Edward never lends you his irreplaceable Hamlet folio!"

Scanning quickly, Alice snatched at a simple blue ballpoint pen upon an end table, nestled among a series of pencil crayons that lay strewn upon it, abandoned. Flipping open the cover of the book, Alice withdrew Jasper's cell phone from her pocket and flipped anxiously through the contact list. Selecting her desired information, she expanded the entry, revealing a well-known address.

He wasn't from Venice, nor was his name Antonio, but he certainly was one to assist a suitor in need of travelling documents and cash – particularly if he were indebted for decades to a strange, forever youthful family and in turn the burly but begrudgingly loveable wolf they kept as company. Flipping to the title page of the play, Alice quickly left her last message for her sister of far too little time:

_**DESTROY THIS**_

_**J. Jenks**_

_**578 S. Othello St **_

_**Seattle**_

With a slight flourish, Alice neatly tore loose the copyright page beside it, tucking the book back into the stack, slightly askew, lest Bella not immediately seize upon Alice's next step. That settled, Alice tucked the pen and paper into her pocket, making her way towards the door, her wind whipping through the opening of Macbeth until a vision slammed into her head so hard, her hand snaked towards the frame of the door, steadying herself against it.

_Bella steadied herself against the small side table, her hand trembling slightly as she read the cover page of a small paperback book. Her lip pouted outward, her eyes searching frantically around the room, her mouth soundlessly forming the words before her. _

_"Destroy this. J. Jenks. 578 South Othello. Seattle. Damn it, Alice, why did you leave?"_

_Her hands sezied upon the suspect page, tearing it swiftly from the book and discarding it on the ground with a soft thump. Her eyes widened as a sound from behind her spun her 180 degrees in a dizzying flash. The front door suddenly swung open, and Edward slipped quickly into the room. His brow immediately furrowed in concern as he studied his wife, his arm reaching out to steady her own. _

_"Bella? What is it?"_

_"Nothing," she insisted, her voice cracking as she instinctively tucked her hand behind her back, a small child willing her secret to be forgotten, unseen._

_"What's that?" Edward asked insistently. _

_"It's nothing. I just... I got mad at the book."_

_He was behind her now, his eyes quickly scanning the words upon the page, her newborn strength dwarfed by his instinct for survival. Cursing under her breath, Bella balled the page up in frustration, her eyes pleading as she desperately sought a hiding place. _

_"Destroy this? J. who? Bella, is that a note from Alice?"_

Alice groaned, her eyes returning to the scene in a panic_. Damn it, Edward! Damn you! _The note had to be left; it was insurance for the battle ahead, in case Alice's mission failed miserably and completely. But if Edward were to see the name, were to recognize its significance to the family and their years of identity change... and if Aro were able to deduce that knowledge, and know Alice's role in that knowledge... Alice shuddered involuntarily, her impatience abounding. She'd given the family a month as a timeline, but her more detailed visions suggested mere weeks. She had to ensure Edward knew as little as possible.

The ornate stone fireplace of the cottage caught her eye, and Alice crowed triumphantly. Of course! If she were to provide an easy way of detroying the note, Edward would never see it. Surely Bella would understand immediately that Alice intended for Edward to remain in the dark about this tidbit and refuse to reveal its contents. Working quickly, Alice set the fire aglow, feeding it furiously, watching the flames lick the wood with a fervor of a dog and its meatiest bone. A quick check of her visions revealed a much more satisfactory future, with the book safely launched into the low flames of a fire as Bella shrugged off the action. _Done. Finally. Back to Jasper, then._

Alice raced through the tall grasses and wildflowers, her sharp hearing marvelling at a symphony of crickets as she bounded towards Jasper, finding him settled upon a thick tree branch overhead, his face fixed in a way that would have chilled her if warmth still poured through her veins. He was unequivocally irate at her lack of explanations and short temper, moreso than she had ever witnessed. But he would surely understand, once they departed their property and made their way north to the border of the Quileute lands, where it would be safe to disclose the barest sketch of her visions and plans... wouldn't he?

"Time to go," Alice said quietly.

Jasper leapt to the ground, landing with a solid thud beside her, "Alice, I'm growing impatient. I trust you, but I'm also stuck here imagining the worst possible things happening to you without any inkling of what your visions have told you. I can't be in the dark this way, not when it comes to you."

Alice threw her arms up around his neck, clinging tightly to his muscular frame, "Oh Jazz... Is that why you're so ticked?"

His face buried itself in her hair, inhaling her scent, "Among other worries, yes."

"If I tell you that we died together, and that it blurred into uncertainty when I thought of my plan, will you calm down a little?"

Jasper pulled back, his eyes wide, "_Died_ together?"

Alice nodded, "Better together than one of us left to pull an Edward, no? But I don't want to lose anyone. This is a possible way. Do you understand that I'm trying to save _all of us_ – Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Bella, Nessie, Jacob-"

"Jacob? But how can you see if he-"

Alice shrugged, "Apparently I can see them if they're dead. And they were _all_ dead, Jazz. Please, let's move and I'll explain a bit more as we head north."

"North? But that's-"

"We need the water. I believe they'll consent to our passing."

Jasper took her hand, and Alice broke into a run, the two of them darting between towering spruces and sturdy oaks, the night wildlife scurrying to escape their pursuit. The stars burned brightly overhead, almost pulsing, as if the sky were alive and running along beside them, its own chest heaving with exertion while their motion remained dizzying and effortless. Veering towards the invisible boundary long ago established between the Quileute ancestors and the Cullens, Alice hoped for as few of the shapeshifters as possible – the better to avoid Jacob being tipped off, she surmised. If Quil were to greet them, or Embry, things might grow difficult. Sam Uley, on the other hand, would likely understand her request and its urgency, and dictate the rules accordingly. Perhaps, if the others arrived first, she should ask directly for Sam?

"You said this was a chess game, Alice," Jasper said quietly, "If this is chess, then why are we running away from the proverbial board?"

"How well do you know your classic openings and defenses?" Alice asked, skipping over a fallen tree trunk as if it were a twig.

"Very well. I got rather bored about four summers ago."

"That helps; Edward can't keep them straight to save his pawns, let alone his king. Familiar with the King's Indian Defense?"

Jasper nodded, "It's the somewhat unorthodox one, isn't it? A few of the champs employ it. It starts out by actively continuing to diminish one's standing on the board, only to turn it around and swing fortune back the other way, right?"

Alice nodded, "Yes. You forfeit control of the centre board to white, but set up the flanks in such a way as to eradicate the pieces white sends there and seize control away from your opponent. It's radical, but effective if employed just so."

"So we're letting the Volturi take the centre-"

"To lull them into a state of vulnerability to a side attack. Yes, Jazz. That is, if we can gather the necessary pieces..."

A sudden noise ahead gave Alice pause, and she immediately ground to a halt, dust stirring into the crisp winter air as Jasper froze, his body instinctively thrown between her and the approaching form beyond the hills. Her hand reached to his back, a light gesture intended to calm. His body remained taut, relentless in the wake of the revelations only moments before, relaxing slightly as a large black wolf lumbered into view, its jaw set, eyes glaring with distaste. Alice bowed her head slightly, willing the jumble of syllables and sounds in her skull to congeal into a useful speech.

"Sam," Alice said quietly, "I need to ask a favour."

The wolf remained motionless, save a slight cocking of his head and searching eyes beyond her tiny frame.

"I'm sorry; Edward isn't here. You'll need to shift back to respond."

The wolf remained resolute, perhaps suspicious of the sudden arrival of two vampires on their land. Alice empathisized with Sam's concern and cursed it all the same. Without the cover of water, Alice knew that Edward would attempt to track them, note or no note. But given the begrudging acceptance of the broken treaty via Bella's transformation, Alice was under no illusions that Sam would allow their crossing. A wave of calm flooded her, and she knew Jasper was at work, willing a peaceable ending to the discussion. For once, she was grateful for his gifts.

"Sam, we need to cross your lands to the water. We will not be returning that way. It is of the utmost importance that we reach our destination as quickly as possible. Quite possibly all of our lives – including Nessie and Jacob's – might depend on our speed. Will you grant us an escort and passage?"

The large black wolf seemed to lose himself in thought, his ears twitching slightly as his left forepaw traced a lazy oval in the earth beneath it. Painfully slow seconds gave way to a stony silence and icy stare that made Alice wince.

"I don't think he's going to budge, Alice," Jasper whispered.

"Then we're all as good as dead," she replied.

The wolf startled suddenly, his head cocked to the west, listening intently. Alice shook her head, paralyzed by her inability to see but fully aware of the ramifications of Sam's motion.

"We have company," Alice whispered nervously.


	3. Deflection

_AN: My apologies for the insane delay; I spent 7 weeks with my hand in a splint due to feared fracture (turned out to be an intensely bad sprain). I've got another chapter on top of this coming soon, and also have epilogues/further adventures planned for the Disc Jockeys story. _

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**Three: Deflection**

The dark looming form stepped into the moonlight, its hulking form sending an unconscious shudder through Alice's body. In the shimmering blue cast upon the earth from overhead, its fur gleamed in a brilliant shade of silver, its dark eyes curious at the sight of the two hesitant vampires, their hands interlocked in a gesture of solidarity. Tilting its head towards the large black wolf to its left, it immediately drilled the other wolf with his mind.

_Why are the leeches here Sam?_

_They want permission to cross our lands, to reach the water. They say it's a matter of life and death for both their kind and ours. _

_Does Jacob know of this?_

_I get the feeling that he doesn't. If he hadn't broken off, maybe I could ask him Paul. I don't like the look of it. Why are only these two here?_

_She's the seer, Sam. Maybe she's seen something coming?_

_I still don't like it._

The silver wolf turned towards the vampires, his head cocked, a slight nod encouraging them to plead their case further. Paul was reluctant to phase to human, lest this be some sort of trick, a vengeful act born out of the pack's initial decision to destroy Bella and her child. The tiny pixie seemed to understand his gesture, and nodded slightly.

"Paul? I think that's you, right?"

The wolf nodded, whining low.

Alice frowned, "I understand how strange this must seem. I know there's been a great deal of anger on all sides and feelings of betrayal. But this is as much about Jacob as it is about us, and I would hope that for his sake, for the sake of one of your own, you would assist us. Please, grant us passage?"

Jasper sighed, his hand gripping Alice's tighter. The emotions flooding from the wolves suggested suspicion and mistrust of their intentions. For all of his efforts at preserving calm, Jasper knew that their underlying sense of something being amiss would persist, perhaps shutting them down entirely and forcing a longer route to wherever Alice intended for them to go. And since he knew so little of Alice's plans, he could offer no argument beyond that which Alice had put forth.

The silver wolf turned towards the ebony wolf, chuffing slightly.

_I think we should let them pass._

_Of all the members of this pack, Paul, you are probably the Cullens' number one detractor. Why would you side with them?_

_Because she seems sincere. Jacob may truly be in danger and no matter what has happened between us all, we honour our commitment to protect all of our kind. Jacob is one of us. And besides, they've done us no wrong. Remember: our allegiance during the battle with the leech army caused them strain with others of their kind._

The black wolf howled in frustration, knowing that his companion was right. They were happy to be escorted to the water, happy to be monitored. They simply sought to leave this way, not to return via the shores of La Push. For all of the resentment over their role in the division of the pack – and Sam held them to a certain level of blame, in spite of Embry and Quil's insistence that Jacob was his own man – they had given him no reason to refuse that would hold up under scrutiny. Distantly, he heard Jared protest in his mind and groaned inwardly. The last thing the pack needed was further division, especially over the Cullens. His features softening, he jerked his muzzle to the side, turning about and walking briskly towards the shores of La Push.

_Pull up the rear from a distance, Paul. Just in case._

_I've got your back, Sam._

Hesitantly, Alice looked to the large silver wolf, who nodded, remaining frozen in place, watching them closely. Alice smiled faintly, pressing her tiny hand to her heart.

"Thank you, both of you."

With Jasper's hand in hers, Alice sprinted after Sam, her steps light, barely skimming the cool earth beneath them. As they wound through trees and brush, Alice cast a faint smile in Jasper's direction, seeking to soothe him. He forced a smile back at her, his eyes brimming with a mute anxiety that made her turn away, unable to bear his unhappiness. In her mind, she sketched out a goodbye to their family, the people they had loved and stood by for over 50 years. It would have to be exact, with precisely the right words to discourage their pursuit. It would have to be kind, but almost cold in its tone. But most importantly, it would have to be the first word that anyone had of their departure.

"Sam," Alice said quietly, "I need you to keep our departure secret from our family and Jacob for the time being. This is of the utmost importance. All of us could suffer grave danger if they follow us. If anyone in the pack were to tell Jacob, it would be a disaster."

The large black wolf drew to a halt, facing Alice, seemingly mulling over this request. Alice sensed that this too would be cause for alarm, and quickly worked to explain herself.

"I'll be leaving a note explaining all with you, to give to our family. They'll be following us soon. They will accept our reasons for departing this way, I promise you."

With a grunt, the wolf continued forward, his pace more of a run than a walk, leaving Alice and Jasper to match his pace, the terrain growing more rocky as the salty smell of the beach wafted in their direction. In her mind, Alice checked for the future of Edward, who would surely be the first to come looking for her. She saw him running, retracing their pathway, the sun beginning to rise high in the sky.

_We have time. For now, anyway._

Two miles behind them, Paul listened to Sam's thoughts, resigning himself to the leech's requested silence. As Sam ordered the pack to avoid Jacob and not speak a word of this strange escort, a high-pitched wail sounded in the distance, one he recognized as Jared. His loyalties were being strained by Sam's acquiescence to Alice's demands, his desire to run to Jacob out of their long-standing friendship smothered by the rules of their kind, including loyalty to their Alpha. Paul begrudgingly reached out across the miles to Jared, attempting to soothe him.

_They say Jacob is in danger if he knows of their leaving. Calm down. We won't keep their silence long._

_But what danger? If Jacob's in danger, we need to take action! _Jared protested.

_Enough. We will remain silent for now,_ Sam insisted.

Breaking into a clearing, Alice's feet, clad in simple ballet flats, sunk into the moist sand of the beach, Jasper's black boots thudding softly beside her. Sam's large paws traced a path to the shore, each step deliberate and slow, the prints becoming tiny pools, glistening with the water pressed from beneath the grains of gold. Alice reached deep into her pocket, withdrawing the piece of paper torn from Bella's book and the ballpoint pen stolen from the cottage table.

"What's that?" Jasper asked.

"Our goodbye."

Alice hesitated, pen poised over paper, reluctant to write the words that she knew would break the hearts of their entire family. She longed to tell them the truth, longed to assure them that she was not abandoning them, but saving them. Aro, however, would know that, would expect an unwelcome surprise and that would ruin Alice's entire strategy. As she neatly scrawled the words upon the copyright page of The Merchant of Venice, Bella's scent wafted towards her, causing Alice to wince as if struck..

_Bella... I am so sorry. Please, please pick up on my clues. Please trust I love you._

Her hand working furiously, she composed the message, signing off with a subtle 'xo' and passing it to Jasper. He gazed at her without reading it, seemingly confused.

"Suitable deterrence?" Alice asked quietly.

Jasper took the page, scanning the words carefully, his face falling into a deep sadness. Running a hand through his dishevelled blonde locks, he nodded, passing the page back to Alice.

"I'd say that will do it."

Alice paused, re-reading her message one final time:

_Don't look for us. There isn't time to waste. Remember: Tanya,_

_Siobhan, Amun, Alistair, all the nomads you can find. We'll seek out_

_Peter and Charlotte on our way. We're so sorry that we have to leave_

_you this way, with no goodbyes or explanations. It's the only way for_

_us. We love you._

Folding the page neatly in half, and in half again, Alice offered the note to Sam, who stood impatiently, pawing the soft earth beneath them.

"Our family will come to the boundary soon, looking for us. Please meet them and deliver this note? Treat it as if all our lives depend on it."

Sam nodded slightly, his broad jaw opening slightly to accept the page. He held it delicately between his teeth, careful not to pierce the page. With a faint smile, Alice turned to Jasper, her hand instinctively reaching to touch his cheek. In her mind, the image of his death, their bodies entwined in fire, returned unbidden. Silently, she swore a vow to whatever powers that might exist beyond the mortal realm.

_Not if I can help it. Aro will not win._

"Are we ready then?"

Jasper nodded slowly, "I suppose we are. Where are we going, Alice?"

Alice sighed, "Peter and Charlotte."

Jasper frowned, "They won't be easy to convince."

"We have to try, Jazz."

Jasper nodded, leaning forward to press his lips to her cool forehead, "California it is, then. Malibu."

Alice nodded, "Lead the way."

Jasper made his way to the shore, silently grateful for being dressed in a light cotton turtleneck and loose khakis, which would be far easier to swim in. He glanced behind him, watching as Alice approached Sam's hulking form, placing a hand on his left flank, whispering something in his ear that left Sam's emotions far warmer than they had been throughout their escort, whispering so faintly that in his distraction, even Jasper failed to catch it. Curious, he paused before diving in, allowing Alice to catch up to him, Sam still watching, but far less guarded.

"What did you say to him?" Jasper whispered.

"I told him how grateful we were to the pack for their help with the army, and how I wanted nothing more than to preserve the lives of the pack as well as our own, for I consider them friends, smelly or not," Alice said quietly, smiling.

Jasper pulled her in for a quick embrace, "You're an incredible woman, Alice Whitlock."

"I try. Now, hurry! We need to beat the sunrise in sunny California."

With a nervous chuckle, Jasper dove into the water, sinking deep below the surface, Alice following soon after. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the murky ocean, sand spun into a dusty haze from their speedy descent, several small fish scattering wildly in the wake of their swift kicks and strokes. Her eyes trained on Jasper's body, she swam quickly, matching his pace, their bodies carried further out to sea, headed south along the coast, the faint glow of the moon piercing the waters above them, casting an ominous light along their path. Her heart ached with every movement, every foot of distance between them and their home. She had to believe she would see them again.

She had to believe this was not goodbye forever.

Alice pushed forward, her mind whirring furiously with what she knew: the answer lay in the Amazon; the word _Libishomen_, whatever it meant; and she was searching for something she could not see. _But how do you look for something you cannot see?_ Alice moaned inwardly. _Focus on what you _can_ see_, she told herself. _The pieces will hopefully fall into place._

From the shore, Paul pulled up behind Sam, staring out into the blue-grey waves, watching the flicker of movement pulling steadily away into the night. He noted the folded paper between Sam's teeth and jerked his head towards it.

_What's that?_

_A letter for their family. I have to return to our boundary. You run the beach tonight._

_How bad do you think it is, Sam?_

The large black wolf chuffed, pawing the earth. _Bad. Very bad. _

_The Cullens bring nothing but trouble, it seems._

_They'll move on again soon enough. The white faces won't tolerate them much longer without questions._

Paul huffed, his eyes searching the winter sky. Overhead, wisps of clouds drifted, thin tendrils blending and parting slowly. _Silence until tomorrow night, then?_

_No more silence than that. Our loyalties remain to Jacob first. I expect we won't have to wait long for the vampires to show. Their ties are strong to their kin. They'll seek them out soon enough._

With a slight nod towards his silvery companion, Sam vanished into the woods framing La Push's beaches, heading south towards the unseen line set by his kin years before, the line they existed to protect. His curiousity burning within, Sam hoped the Cullens would swiftly follow on the heels of their kind. If a danger was approaching Forks, the pack needed to be ready.

_And we will be_, Sam silently vowed. _We are always ready._


	4. Fianchetto

_AN: Here comes a significant update. I do tend to update quicker at so if you're there, you can follow the story on that site._

_For those musically inclined, I've created a account for the White Rabbit series where you can stream the songs that shape my writing. User name = aliceswhiterabbit  
_

* * *

**4. Fianchetto**

The tiny woman's delicate hands gently tugged the opaque maroon curtains shut, her lithe fingers grazing the ornate pattern etched upon the fabric, lingering upon the twisting vines she'd long ago memorized. Sunlight pressed its obnoxious head against them, thwarted by the thick silky broadloom and sent back from whence it came. She could not recall a day this bright in a long time. It gave her an ominous sense of something dark looming on the horizon, something deadly. Behind her, the sound of footsteps brought a hesitant smile to her heart-shaped mouth, the sound unmistakable, the delicate wafting scent drifting towards her in their shared flat confirming the identity of her company.

"Shall I attend to the little one this morning?" he asked quietly.

"Please do; I need a moment," she whispered, her eyes lingering on the curtains before her, fingers itching to pull them back, to permit the passage of brilliant rays of light.

"Of course," he replied, a hand reaching out to smooth her tumbling waves before he slipped away.

Their little one... She listened, smoothing her lavender sundress, recalling the ornate package that housed it, the fuss Alice had taken with the ribbons and tag. She missed Alice fiercely, for reasons she could never fully articulate. For what little time they'd spent together, all things considered, she understood that Alice was simply irresitible, a whirlwind force from whom affection could not be denied. A delicate whimper beyond the kitchen sent her wincing. Her little one was suffering, wounded by an unexpected encounter with a mountain lion as they'd hunted. He had assured her that she would be fine, that little ones bounced back, but the sun... It spoke of dread.

A light breeze foretold of her mate's return, and she spun, the look of worry upon his angular face speaking his news for him.

"I told you."

"I know Charlotte," Peter sighed, "But we had to try."

"The sun told me. It never lies."

Peter sighed, opening his arms as Charlotte pressed herself against his muscular frame, shuddering slightly, "Honey, it's California. Sun is a given."

"This sun is different."

Peter nodded, pressing his lips against the top of her head, "Do you wish to help her along, or shall I?"

Charlotte sighed, "I will. I want to say goodbye. It's rare to find one so trusting."

Peter watched wistfully as Charlotte's petite form slid through the back door onto the shaded oak porch, darting quickly across their yard to a small shed, blonde hair billowing behind her as she entered where the tiny doe awaited a mericiful end to its suffering. Charlotte had always been a lover of nature, frequently mesmerized by studying the local wildlife as they hunted for victims, mostly lone hikers or homeless individuals. Charlotte had a predilection for drug dealers and johns, taking a satisfaction in ridding the world of what she considered to be wastes of world resources. In her mind, all required balance - from the various species of life in the delicate ecosystem known as earth to the various decent and despicable members of mortal society. Charlotte viewed their hunting as culling, a means in ensuring the overall surivival of the human race.

_"Why do natural disasters occur? Why do we exist? It can only be as a means of stemming the exponential growth of the human race, Peter. We all play our roles; this is ours. We are a necessary predator, but we must never exhaust the supply of prey."_

Charlotte had cradled the tiny doe as they raced home from the state park, shocked as much as he that it came willingly, without protest. Perhaps it had known its fate all along, and had sensed the mercy Charlotte could provide. Peter shook his head, settling into a tall-back cherry wood chair at a small table used primarily for appearances, absently jabbing at the fake fruit in the small bowl adorning it. If there was one habit Charlotte had adopted from her few interactions with the Cullens, it was the small touches that lent a natural sense of home to a house. The small bungalow, nestled just outside Malibu en route to the wine country of Santa Barbara, had suited their needs for two years now. Despite its dangers of exposure, the warmth of the southern states yielded a powerful peace that Peter could not part from, one that not even years of slaughter could sully. They hunted by night, rumours spread of their 'porphyria' among the few locals curious of their lives to dissuade any investigations or questions they could not answer, snickering at the irony of using the so-called 'vampire disease' to shield their true nature. Peter needed nothing else, save Charlotte's slight curves and shy smile at his side, to be content, although part of him longed for the commaderie of years past, when his life had been filled with destruction and strife, but friendship also...

"She offered me her neck," Charlotte whispered sadly, slipping back into the kitchen.

Peter rose, offering his lean arms, into which Charlotte nestled herself, "You helped her on her way. Maybe her next life will be happier."

"That lion was a greedy bastard; he'd already plucked the weak adult of the herd. There was no balance."

"I'm sure some hunter is out there looking for his pelt, Charlotte. No need to worry yourself all day."

Charlotte's desires to nurse felled animals had grown increasingly strong over the last decade, leaving Peter to wonder if a part of her longed for the ability to raise a child of her own. It was the one thing their kind could not achieve that many females missed. Most of their kind solved this longing through the formation of covens, creating siblings and children from grown men and women, seeking some sense of connection beyond that of their venom. Peter, however, found himself wary of covens, unable to tease the group bond from the lethal aspirations of his former army. Decades later, the slaughter haunted him still, so much so that were sleep possible, Peter was certain he would suffer nightmares.

Peter's troubled thoughts were shaken from mind as Charlotte's hand reached up to tangle itself in his thick blonde hair, tucking the long waves behind his ears, "Maybe we should go back to bed, rewind our activities and start the day again?"

Peter nodded, "I like that idea. Maybe -"

Peter flinched as a distant chiming sounded, the seldom heard siren song of his cellular phone. Another trapping of their forced normalcy. But who would be calling at six in the morning? With lightning speed, Peter retrieved the small silver device, flipping it open with a forced yawn for appearances.

"Hello?"

"Which way from the 101 again?"

Peter's eyes widened, "Jasper? What in the -?"

"We'll explain when we get there. Directions?"

"Um, seventeen miles northwest of city centre, through the forested glen, head for the top of Summit Crescent. We?"

"Alice is with me. See you soon."

Peter slowly closed the flip phone, his mind whirling with the implications of a few short sentences. _Jasper is here? With Alice? Why would they drop by without notice?_ Peter shook his head slightly, as if willing the tangled threads of thought and theories to untangle themselves, sort neatly into linear fashion. A hand clasped his tightly, shaking his arm and drawing his eyes away from the phone to Charlotte's furrowed brow. He forced a soft smile, seeking to reassure her.

"Who was it, Peter? What's wrong? Who's coming?"

"Jasper and Alice," Peter said softly.

Charlotte's eyes widened, "Are they okay?"

Peter frowned, "I don't know. I suppose we'll know when they arrive."

Charlotte bit her lip lightly, a nervous habit she'd retained from her mortal years. It had been a great while since they had seen their old friend and companion, years since their brief visits to Forks and almost a decade before that in Charlotte's best estimation. And they had not spoken with him since Peter's refusal to join the Cullens in their extinguishing of the newborn army that had struck the Forks area months before, a decision that Charlotte knew had disapppointed and confused Jasper. Their failure to attend had not been her choice; Charlotte had been prepared to depart on word of an army created by the vindictive Victoria, bred to slaughter the mortal love of Edward Cullen. For Charlotte, love was the greatest reason to rise to arms, the most precious thing to defend, to die for. Peter had laid his life on the line for her that day so many years ago, with his determined look and command to flee that would have pushed her heart up into her throat if it could still startle and beat. But Peter would have none of it, loyalties of brotherhood dismissed outright. Charlotte coul still hear Peter's words, the razor-sharp edge to each syllable as they'd laid in the sands of Malibu beach, contemplating the stars among translucent silver-tipped clouds.

"_Peter, Jasper and his family are under attack-"_

"_And it's not our fight, Charlotte."_

"_But what if something happens to him?" Charlotte whispered softly, "After coming so far from that awful life of wars of no true consequence..."_

_Peter frowned, wrapping his left arm tighter around Charlotte, drawing her tighter against his stony chest, "That awful life is why I cannot go. I won't go back to it."_

"_Peter, those newborns are killing people-"_

"_They weren't given a choice, Charlotte. Just like you and I weren't given a choice. We were created to destroy, to maim, to tear everything into shreds and decimate villages in our wake. And to slaughter them now for something they could not choose to be, it would be like..."_

_Charlotte's eyes narrowed, her face turning to meet Peter's frustrated gaze, "Like what? Peter, I don't understand why destroying them to save the Cullens bothers you so."_

_Peter sighed, "Because snapping their limbs, tearing them to pieces? That was what I used to do to other newborns without a choice. It was the ending you were supposed to meet. And killing even one of them would remind me of how you were to be dead, and that thought..."_

_Charlotte nodded, pressing her finger delicately to his lips, "I understand now."_

Charlotte understood, but she still disagreed. She'd resented Peter choosing for her. She'd wanted to fight, wanted to help, but Peter had begged her to remain at his side, safey in his sight. Charlotte had acquiesced, unable to defy the man whose existence brought rich meaning to her own, the man who saved her immortal life by forfeiting the power Maria had laid at his feet in her conquests.

And now Jasper and Alice were here, soon to arrive on the doorstep. Charlotte's gaze drifted to the sun outside, her head shaking slightly. More bad news on the horizon. The sun never lied, after all. Charlotte could only hope that this time, they could help their one-time companion and his kin. _If Peter turned away Jasper once more... _Charlotte's eyes met Peter's, their burgundy irises wide with concern.

There was nothing to do now but wait.

* * *

"We're in California, Alice."

Alice darted and danced among sunrise's early beams, cast hapharazdly along the earth between houses and trees, "Yes, we are Jazz. And?"

Jasper growled low in his throat as he dashed behind her, "You said you'd start talking in California, Alice. Don't you think that I've forgotten about it."

Alice sighed, "Yes, yes. Two minutes, Jazz; there's a couple ahead on an early jog and they're debating which trail to take. Let me focus."

Jasper shook his head, honey-blonde locks tumbling to and fro as he reluctantly obeyed Alice's request. Why Peter and Charlotte had settled in one of the sunniest places in the continental United States, he would never understand. Vampire speed and strength had brought them through the water to step foot on the beaches of Malibu just before sunrise, but not early enough to avoid this game of cat and mouse with mortals. In the densely populated areas, so-called progress had killed the sort of wooded trails that their kind relied upon for daylight travels. A suddenly raised hand caught his attention and he halted, quickly leaning lazily against a tall sturdy Redwood, Alice quickly settling into his arms.

"They'll pass us by without a thought," she whispered in a voice inaudible to those with human hearing.

Jasper nodded, tilting her chin towards his face, whispering low, "And then, you explain."

Alice nodded slowly, a nervous smile upon her lips as Jasper leaned down to kiss them. He heard, rather than saw, the young couple jog by, a twinge of jealousy rolling off the female that betrayed an unhappy relationship. Jasper pulled Alice closer, suddenly desperate to cling to her petite form, chiding himself inwardly for being so harsh with her. It was the fear talking for him, that same recoiling horror that Alice was working hard to subdue within herself. Now wasn't the time to be angry with each other; now might only be a short while until...

_No. Alice has a plan, and it has to work. I won't lose her. We will not be parted._

"We're clear," Alice said softly, pulling back slightly, "Time to move."

Jasper nodded, his fingers interlacing with hers as they darted further out of the city limits, the sun as their compass as they pushed forward towards Peter and Charlotte's home nestled within the hills. Traces of a long-ago scent drifted into his nostrils, and he relaxed slightly, knowing they were close to his old friends, close to help... perhaps. Peter had shot him down rather abruptly when Victoria's army of pets descended upon Forks intent on tearing Bella to pieces. Jasper was still in the dark as to the meaning behind the vague dismissals offered up as excuses; he hoped to find a truer explanation in Peter's company, where his emotions would confess what his words would not.

"Alright Jazz, in three minutes, what do you want to know?" Alice asked suddenly, shattering Jasper's reverie.

"Just... Why are we running? And to where?"

"Not where," Alice corrected, "More like what. We're running because we need to be away from the battle when it begins. There was... No good came of us being there at the Volturi's arrival. Only destruction... Only..."

Jasper squeezed Alice's hand gently, speaking softly, "It ended badly. But when we weren't there?"

Alice trembled, "So many ways I tried, so many of them ended the same: death and imprisonment. The original vision, the wolves were there too, all of them dead, their bodies _broken_... Not exactly how I wanted to learn that my visions can see through the wolves if they stop breathing. But that's not the point, Jazz; the point is, I found one path where I couldn't see _anything_, which means that either the wolves survive-"

"Or Nessie. And what was that?"

"The notion of proof. In my vision, I saw the Volturi. They told Bella that they had to destroy Nessie. That she was an unknown, and possibly dangerous. Bella was demanding their proof and of course their proof lay in the fact we couldn't prove otherwise. The moment I thought of proving Nessie to be of no risk, this rush of images came slamming into my head. A kaleidoscope of colour, fireworks, and the Amazon."

Jasper's brow furrowed, "Proving Nessie safe... Wait. Alice, do you mean...?"

Alice drew to a halt, "Finding another like her. A hybrid. It was what we all secretly wanted anyway, and it seems to be the only path that stops the bloodbath that endlessly looped in my mind for hours out behind our home. Jazz, you didn't _see it_... See how the bodies just..."

Jasper frowned, pulling Alice tight against him, pressing his face into her short spiky locks and inhaling deeply, "And hopefully you will never see it again."

Alice nodded, weeping tearlessly, "They can't destroy our family. I have no idea how we'll find a hybrid, or where, but I know that us leaving, us being seen as deserting the Cullens, is key. And I know that we need to start in the Amazon. Beyond that... How do you look for something invisible Jazz? This feels so... so... FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE!"

Jasper gasped slightly as Alice stomped her foot, creating a foot-deep impression in the earth. He had not heard Alice curse in a non-sexual setting – not once. The sight of it frightened him almost as much as that night in Mississippi, when he'd found her lying in the leaves and dirt, clutching a worn leather volume and reading aloud... Jasper winced, shoving the memory away. It was too painful. Jasper forced his attention at Alice's frustration and... terror? Her fidgety pacing slowed, and her tiny mouth half-smiled.

"Thank you. Cheater."

"I believe in your visions Alice. If there's a way that brings hope, and you see it now – or rather, see nothing – then your choices so far are taking us in the right direction."

Alice nodded slowly, "I suppose."

Jasper jerked his head towards a small bungalow just in sight, "We should see Peter and Charlotte. If they agree to go, they need to get moving soon or risk losing a day."

Alice nodded, pressing herself up onto her toes and throwing her arms around Jasper's neck, "I miss them so much already. Poor Bella must be beside herself! You know how she worries, Jazz."

"We're saving them all, right? It's why we had to leave. You can make it up to her by not making her shop for a year," Jasper joked.

Alice smiled, slapping his arm, "Shopping is a joy. Bella simply doesn't appreciate that."

"Nor do I, Mrs. Whitlock."

Alice sighed, her gaze locked upon Jasper's, "I love you."

"Impossibly and forever," Jasper finished, kissing her gently, "Shall we?"

Alice took his hand, the two of them bounding towards the home in the distance, Alice's eyes detecting a slender form in lavender peering through the back door. _Charlotte?_ Alice checked and re-checked her visions en route, looking to Bella's fate first. She was still on course to find the book and then burn it. _Please forgive me, Bella. Please understand why I left._ Her mind drifted to Edward next, the brother she'd relied on for years to make her laugh, to tease, to deconstruct and debate music with. If anything were to happen to him, to _any of them..._

The figure stepped out onto the shaded porch, her long blonde waves framing her porcelain face. Her smile was warm, but concerned; the unannounced nature of their visit surely had created confusion.

"Jasper and Alice," she said softly, "It's been ages. What brings you to Malibu? I take it this isn't a pleasure visit."

"No, it's not," Jasper replied, his southern drawl slipping out in answer to hers, "May we come in?"

"Of course," Charlotte responded, holding open the door, "Peter's waiting in the kitchen."

They stepped warily in through the screened back door, Charlotte bringing up the rear, revealing Peter at the small cherry wood table centred in the large bright kitchen. He rose as they entered, a cautious smile upon his lips and a nod to Jasper following with it. Alice resisted the urge to scan the future, to seek out the outcome of this meeting. True, they had refused to aid with the newborns, a tremendous disappointment for Jasper. But this time, all they had to do was _see_...

"Jasper, it's been a long while. What brings you here to Malibu so suddenly?"

Stepping forward, Alice's hand still locked within his, Jasper threw all of his might into keeping the room calm and amicable, then replied.

"Peter, Charlotte... I have a huge favour to ask of you. A matter of grave importance."

Peter hesitated, "How grave?"

Jasper swallowed hard, "The literal kind – with headstones. Will you help us?"

The silence in the airy kitchen spoke volumes, driving Alice to close her eyes in panic.

_Oh, no. No, no, no..._


	5. Rauzer Formation

_AN: Review away; I'm rather fond of Peter and Charlotte and wanted to play a little with their minds. For those who are awaiting Alistair's appearance, see chapter 6._

_**I have to stress: from here on it, if you have NOT read Down The Rabbit Hole, you will find yourself confused as its established new canon for Alice comes heavily into play from chapter 6 onward.**  
_

_For those musically inclined, I've created a account for the White Rabbit series where you can stream the songs that shape my writing. User name = aliceswhiterabbit  
_

* * *

**5. Rauzer Formation  
**

Peter ran a hand slowly through his blonde waves, the ripple of his chest visible beneath the plain grey t-shirt he wore, his loose-fitting jeans strangely uncomfortable on a body so rigid. A long minute passed, his lips finally releasing a sigh that seemed more foreboding in light of the minute that passed – an eternity in vampire time. Alice winced inwardly, too anxious to check for ways to convince Peter and Charlotte to agree to their request for aid.

"It went badly, then?"

Jasper's brow furrowed, "What did?"

_They don't know about Renesmee. How could they possibly? We kept it a secret from everyone, even the Denali clan._

"Bella. The change. What has she done? How many are dead?"

Jasper felt his body relax, his confusion giving way to relief at Peter being hesitant for the wrong reasons, "Oh no, not at all."

"So she's remained mortal?" Charlotte more gasped than asked.

Alice piped up, "She changed, and she's probably the most well-adjusted newborn ever seen by our kind. The worst thing she's done so far is rip apart a very expensive dress I bought from France for her awakening."

Jasper couldn't resist a smile at Alice's sense of priorities, even now, "It's true; one would think Bella was born to become what we are. Carlisle believes her understanding of and willingness to undergo the change shaped her level of self-control."

Alice's mind whirred, and in her mind she saw Peter and Charlotte arriving in Forks, hesitant but sated, cautiously approaching the Cullen home. _A-ha! There you are, just as I want you. _ She squeezed Jasper's hand, running her thumb softly along his palm in an 'O' and then a 'K'. His hand squeezed in reply, their secret exchange successful.

Peter glanced at Charlotte, who remained confused but curious, then returned his gaze to Jasper's, "Well then, what of this matter? What army has descended now?"

Jasper frowned, "We are not asking either of you to fight, if that is your assumption, Peter. You made your stance on such battles clear the last we spoke and I respect it, as you have respected my choices in this life we live."

Peter nodded, his stance relaxing, "Very well. What do you need then, dear friend?"

Alice interrupted, "It's far too complex to explain and we must depart quickly to find others. We need you to head for Forks immediately, where Edward and Bella can fill you in. All you need to do is listen, and then decide what to do and how to help. We wouldn't ask if it weren't as important as this."

Charlotte frowned, "And you cannot explain it to us now?"

"No, unfortunately; it would take much more time than we have and it's easier to see it to understand," Alice replied, "You understand my visions; trust that they tell me that you're needed in Forks, soon."

Jasper felt the tendrils of hesitation creeping into Peter and worked immediately to soothe them, to assure his old friend that he would not steer him wrong. Charlotte must have sensed the same hesitation; her own worry and determination to help drove her to her mate's side, pressing herself onto her tiptoes and reaching for Peter's face, tilting it towards hers.

"We have to go," she whispered, "We _will_ go."

If Jasper needed air to subsist, he would be starved of it now, the human instinct to hold one's breath in fear kicking in. Peter pressed his lips to Charlotte's eyes, one by one, and Jasper felt Alice's happiness seep into his emotional web. _OK_. _All systems were go, according to Alice_.

"Yes, love; we'll go. Where are you headed then, if not back to Forks?"

"South America. There are a few friends there we need to reach."

Peter nodded, "Very well, Jasper. If you're in a hurry – and something tells me you are – Charlotte and I know a route that avoids the more populated places. It'll be much easier to travel by land and blend in. You reek of ocean; you swam?"

Alice nodded, "Yes. It was quickest. Speaking of that.. Charlotte, would you mind terribly if I were to borrow –"

"One of the many items of clothing you've spoiled me with? Not at all," Charlotte exclaimed, giggling slightly, "Follow me. We'll get you back to true Alice form in no time."

Jasper and Peter both watched as the two pixie-like forms danced out of the kitchen, babbling about some designer Alice was particularly smitten with, their moods relaxed and easy. Peter's mood, however, remained anxious and foreboding and tinged with… frustration? Was Charlotte's insistence bothering him for some reason? They had always seemed a perfect pair – in unison in a way that even left Jasper and Alice's unique understanding of each other in its shadow. Perhaps nothing was as perfect as it seemed… like the Cullen family's current woes. The light chatter of their respective partners slipped into the background, white noise blending with the chirping of birds and the light wind's rustling of nearby trees; it was then that Peter spoke, his tone neutral, each word measured and chosen carefully.

"I apologize for not being able to help you with your army problem."

Jasper nodded, "We were fine in the end. It wasn't your battle to fight."

Peter frowned, "Jasper, you are as a brother to me, and normally, your fights would indeed be my fights. But this one particular fight was one I could not engage in."

_He's radiating fear… and intense love for Charlotte. Ah… Could that be what the issue was?_

"What made this fight impossible for you?" Jasper asked softly.

"You were there, the day that Charlotte and I left, that day when Maria had determined…"

"That Charlotte and the other newborns should be destroyed. I remember it well. I could see then that you two were bonded, intended to be."

Peter smiled, "She's the reason I cherish immortality. I begrudge the way I came into this existence – against my will, born to destroy and maim for another's causes – but I cannot feel hatred for Maria or others like her. Charlotte has brought meaning to something that evoked a measure of pain most mortals would end their lives over. Jasper, when you called on me to destroy an army of newborn vampires, vampires born without a choice, without the freedom to be different…"

"It was too much like old times," Jasper surmised.

"Yes, but specifically, I saw Charlotte, and remembered her fear, remembered the horrid thought of her dismembered and destroyed… And I knew that I would be of no use to you. I would approach each newborn and see Charlotte's face. Do you understand, my friend?"

Jasper nodded, smiling wistfully as he heard Alice's distinctive pattering feet making their way back towards the kitchen, "I do. As Alice is to me, Charlotte is to you. I would sooner burn myself than allow harm to befall Alice. If our roles were reversed, I'd likely feel the same."

An understanding reached, Peter's emotions settled into curiosity and trepidation towards their journey to Forks, and Jasper allowed himself to relax for the moment. _I can't fault him for putting Charlotte before all else; if anything were to happen to Alice… _Jasper shook his head, forcing a smile as Alice danced into the kitchen, twirling like a small child showing off a new present. She'd managed to find an icy blue empire-waist babydoll dress, its intricate lacework layered over a silk that clung to Alice in all of the ways that often made Jasper behave in a manner most unfitting a Southern gentleman. Never one to turn away accessories, she'd had what Jasper knew from the jubilant grin upon her lips to be 'extreme luck' in that she'd stumbled onto a black velvet choker with a teardrop-shaped moonstone set within white gold as its charm.

"Oh Jazz! Why did I not buy one of these for myself?" Alice squealed.

"Did you miss the vision of you borrowing it and never returning it someday?" Jasper quipped.

"Probably," Alice grinned.

"And these are for you," Charlotte announced, her lavender sundress swishing softly against her legs as she entered, carrying a pair of dark brown khakis and a maroon dress shirt, "Should be the right size."

"Thank you, both of you," Jasper said, accepting the garments, "I'll change into these then in the other room."

"I'll draw up that map for you," Peter mumbled, making his way to a nearby drawer in the kitchen and obtaining a sketch book and pen from within it.

Jasper slipped into the living room, stripping at a human pace, collecting his thoughts before he and Alice departed to seek out the Amazons... and whatever lay beyond that meeting. Together, he knew that they were a force to be reckoned with; with his fighting expertise and understanding of emotions and Alice's visions, they were lethal when necessary and survival experts above all else. But something deep within him suggested that this journey would not be as simple as a quest to find a vampire-human hybrid. There was a nagging sense of dread, of possible disaster… like that night in Mississippi, tracking Alice, her scent painful, if only because he feared it might be all that remained of her…

_His feet carried him to what at first appeared to be an empty clearing, several piles of mulch, fallen leaves and other tree debris scattered among it. The clouds above shifted, and a tiny stream of moonlight added a glimmer to a shape in the farthest pile. Squinting, Jasper could sense the outline of an arm... a tiny hand... He felt as if he were being crushed in the grip of a vise. Seven enormous steps flew him to Alice's side, the movement somehow not registering with her, nor interrupting her reading..._

That book… Jasper had hidden it several months after that incident, nestling it among boxes of old history and philosophy texts he'd collected over the years. He knew such actions were fruitless with Alice's gift; if she hadn't seen his act – and he'd taken care to be rather indecisive about it, so as to confound her - he would be powerless to resist telling her its location if she asked for it. Nonetheless, Jasper felt the old adage of 'out of sight, out of mind' was wise at this juncture. So far, Alice had not asked him about it, nor had she disturbed his belongings in search of it. Somehow, he sensed that she, too, wanted it out of her reach, at least for now.

It was supposed to be a simple mission, a search into her past. It had nearly destroyed her in the process. Was Jasper allowing Alice to carry them forward to the same outcome once more? Her visions went blank for their fates on this course, but that didn't mean that they would survive, now did it? Tugging the shirt on and buttoning it quickly, Jasper suddenly felt incredibly protective of Alice. Any distance apart – even a scant few feet – was far too much now. In an instant, his vampire speed carried him back into the kitchen, where Charlotte was embracing Alice warmly, wishing her well on her journey. In Alice's hand she clutched a piece of paper with an elaborate rendering of the border to Mexico and beyond upon it.

"You'll be off immediately then?" Alice asked.

"Yes; we'll want to hunt on our way, and we have a loose end or two of our own on the way," Charlotte said quietly, "Right Peter?"

The edge in her voice echoed in Peter's reply, "Of course, Charlotte."

Alice spun to face Jasper, her features clouding over at his concerned expression, "We're off then?"

Jasper nodded, "Best we not waste any time, right?"

Alice nodded, and with a soft smile she took Jasper's left hand as he shook Peter's with his right, their eyes silently wishing each other luck on their respective journeys. Willing his fear to subside, for the image of Alice's tiny body lost within a nest of old leaves to return to the darkest corners of his mind, they slipped out the back door, darting amongst trees, Alice leading the way with the map firmly entrenched in her mind. Jasper followed, mindful of every sound, each stirring around them, terrified that at any moment, his Alice might not be his.

_Calm. For her sake, be calm…_

It was much easier thought than done.

* * *

They stood at the back door, their lithe bodies scarcely contained within its wooden frame, the portrait of a couple at odds with a brave front on display. Peter had been with Charlotte for long enough to know that it was always best to allow her to speak her mind, to fully appreciate its stance. He did not fault Charlotte for having a mind capable of making its own choices; her intellect was one of many attributes that enthralled him. But to decide for him, without consulting him… It felt like less of a choice and more of a manipulation of sorts, which was unlike Charlotte. She leaned against him now, only slightly, her words a faint whisper.

"No fighting this time. I hardly thought it fair to turn him down this time, not when he has been such a good friend for so long."

Peter nodded slowly, "I just feel as if this is greater than we're being led to believe… Something enormous and threatening."

"We'll listen, at least. We can surely listen Peter. We can always walk away if it's not right to stay."

Peter wrapped his arms around Charlotte, pressing her to him, "That's fair. Pack a few things for us then and we'll be off. We'll bury our little doe on the way."

Charlotte smiled softly, "I love you."

"And I love you, more each and every day."

Charlotte slipped from within his grasp and darted into the bedroom, pausing in her packing only to process Peter's declaration from the other room.

"I won't fight our own kind, Charlotte. Even for Jasper."

Charlotte sighed, slamming her closet shut and tossing the backpack over her shoulder, shaking her head in defiance.

_Perhaps you won't. But I can choose my own battles. I won't let them down this time, Peter. I can't…_


	6. Gambit

_AN:  
_

_Here's what I know several of you have been waiting for: a little time with Alistair. Specifically: just how is Alistair doing, almost ninety years after Alice's demise (or so he thinks)?_

_**CRUCIAL:** If you are joining us without having completed Down The Rabbit Hole, we've now hit the point where completing that fic FIRST is NECESSARY to understand plot points. This chapter excerpts several quotes from Down The Rabbit Hole._

_As always, huge thanks to reviewers (so many incredibly kind words) and my snarktastic beta of awesome, sarawithouttheh. (I am totally doing that fic about Alistair and Carlisle's past)._

_For those who love music, and specifically the music I write to, you can check out the ever-growing playlist at (user=aliceswhiterabbit). I'm trying to catch up to the 80+ songs I currently spin a few each day._

_As always, Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight; I just puppet these characters and make 'em dance to my tune. This chapter contains a quotation from Through The Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll._

* * *

The pale blonde man wove his way between the trees lining what was more of a dirt pathway than a road, careful to keep his speed to a human gait, lest there be eyes watching. For all of his years as a vampire, he still needed to remind himself on occasion to be mindful of humans and their gaze. Such was the price of striving so hard to fit among them; he sometimes forget that they ultimately were outsiders, from whom his secrets needed protection. His clothing was carefully selected to conceal his otherness, the jeans, green sweatshirt and black parka his calculated costume.

He had found himself in the western region of North Dakota, acting on a tip from Siobhan. In their travels from Europe to Seattle, they'd spoken of the nomads that roved their respective continents, the conversation turning inevitably to one of Carlisle's oldest friends, Alistair. It had been at least 98 years since their paths had crossed in person, although several letters had been exchanged between 1914 and 1921, abruptly halting with a scrawled message from Alistair, cautioning Carlisle to trust no one and mind 'the new breed of nomad.' His reply had been returned to sender; there was no trace of Alistair after that day. From time to time, nomads passing by the Cullens would remark that they had seen Alistair. He seemed to divide his time now between Europe and North America. Few showed any affection for a vampire described as 'paranoid and aloof', but Carlisle understood the mistrust. Alistair had very nearly met his end at Volturi hands once upon a decade, back when Carlisle was more closely associated with their order. It was Carlisle's intervention that had elicited Alistair's trust and later, admiration. In his mission now to track down all possible nomads to bear witness to his granddaughter's true nature, Siobhan had remarked that a nomad passing through several months ago had commented on meeting up with Alistair near Chicago, the vampire 'as antisocial and paranoid as ever.' Word had been whispering between nomads of the Volturi fixing their gaze on the Cullen coven, awaiting proof of their newest daughter's transformation. After returning to the Chicago area and speaking with a drifting nomad there by the name of Reginald, Carlisle had found himself meandering just south of Watford City, in search of a small cabin nestled between it and the national park.

A small log cabin, somewhat dilapidated, came into view in the distance, perhaps two miles away. From this distance, Carlisle could make out the signs of weather damage and nature's creatures contributing to its decay. The structure remained sound enough, certainly suitable for a vampire who did not get cold or sick. It was very Alistair. Darting closer, Carlisle found himself half a mile out when a harsh whisper emerged from nearby shadows.

"State your business."

"Alistair? It's Carlisle. Is that you?"

A pause, "What's left of him. Behind the cabin, if you must join me."

With a slight hesitation, Carlisle hastily ran around the cabin, his senses keen in case of some sort of trap, for in light of Alice's vision, he could not help but to suspect the worst at all times. Carlisle the optimist had become Carlisle the anxious, and it was unsettling at best and terrifying at worst. Never had he imagined that the Volturi would go this far. Never did he expect his old friends to treat his family thus. Never did he believe he would have to seek out Alistair to return a favour from nearly 250 years ago.

After nearly 400 years of life on this planet, it would seem that there were surprises still in store for Carlisle Cullen.

Alistair had changed in spite of the halted aging process of their kind. Carlisle quickly made note of the differences, his acute senses making the task rather simple. His hair was darker now; had he taken to dyeing it? It was not impossible for vampires to do so, but the nature of their hair meant permanent dyes endured maybe two weeks at a time; it was a very high-maintenance choice. His body remained stocky, the sturdy British man he'd been in life, only he carried his posture crumpled, as if suffering some unseen pain. He looked weary, and his dark eyes betrayed a thirst long unaddressed. His dishevelled grey suit jacket and slacks spoke of a businessman off the rails. With a sad smile, Carlisle approached his old friend slowly. It would seem, then, that the rumours were true about Alistair.

The dark tangle of wavy hair fluttered in the breeze as Alistair turned the pages of a worn hardcover book in his lap. His lips mouthed along wordlessly as he raised a single finger, giving Carlisle silent pause. A minute passed, the two men in an awkward silence among the snow and leaves, the scene from some film student's warped mind: Carlisle, tidy and frozen still, standing beside a foot-worn trail to the cabin door, while Alistair read, a madman in the snow. With a heavy sigh, Alistair shut the book, slowly turning his gaze towards Carlisle.

"It's been a long time, Carlisle Cullen. Don't think me rude, but how in the hell did you locate me?"

Carlisle nodded, "I'd heard you were avoiding all of our kind. Siobhan ran across a nomad near his home that had recently been in Chicago. He said he'd seen you. From Chicago, I was able to track you, with some difficulty."

Alistair nodded slowly, mulling this over, "It would seem that you have angered the almighty Italians. Or so the whisper is, these days. Something about a mortal girl?"

Carlisle nodded, "Yes, something like that. It's a rather long story that I'll happily tell you about. But first, I have something I need to ask of you, old friend."

Alistair rose, tucking the book he clutched against his chest, "Ah, therein lies the rub. The good doctor needs medicine of his own, then? We've not spoken for how long? And now you ask things of me? Carlisle, I am old despite what my appearance would suggest, and waiting to die. For all things die, even those of us who've slipped into this Looking-Glass house of backwards and upside down that we call immortality."

Carlisle grimaced, "It's not as if you left any signs of welcoming contact, Alistair. I haven't heard from you on any sort of regular basis since the 1930s. But you're right; I should have sought you out sooner."

"How is the animal diet working out for you, Carlisle?" Alistair asked suddenly, running a hand through his dark locks, his feet shuffling in a manner so human, it drew concern from Carlisle's watchful gaze.

"It's worked out well. My entire family hunts as I do. It allows us to settle and live among the humans, enjoy the comforts their technology affords us."

"I tried it. Try it, I suppose. It's too difficult in the end. But I was never as strong as you in that regard."

Carlisle studied Alistair's crumpled brow, evaluating this statement and its weight. From their letters exchanged in the early 1900s, it had seemed that Carlisle's philosophy on vampire life – in particular, his belief that their kind had a choice about the sort of life they could lead – had stuck with his old friend, even as they had parted ways on their arrival in America. Alistair always had a mind for science, and would often study Carlisle's medical texts, absorbing details of the anatomy and in particular the brain. Their letters were mostly about psychiatry, neurology and biology, exchanges of knowledge acquired and curiosity unsated by their respective readings. In 1921, they'd grown infrequent, more scattered in their thoughts, more philosophical. Alistair had questioned the right of vampires to live, wondered at notions like _who did they think they were, living among humans so hapless and unknowing? _There was never any explanation given for the shift, and soon the letters fell off, arriving five and ten years apart.

"Your reason for coming?" Alistair asked suddenly, jarring Carlisle, "I'll grant you ten minutes to unfold what troubled you enough to travel so far and look so hard. Come, then. Let's hear it, so I might reject it. I'm not up for any battles, old friend. Certainly not any involving the Vampire Mafiosos."

Carlisle shook his head, "No fighting. This isn't a physical battle. It's far too complex to explain it; it's best seen. Witnessed, rather. That's all I'm asking you to be: a witness to events at my home. We could catch up on old times. You haven't met my family yet. What of it?"

Alistair hesitated, "I'm not as strong as I once was. There will be no fighting? That's a lie. The Volturi knows only blood: consuming it, conquering for it, and destroying those in their wake. If they're involved, no one is safe who is within a 100 mile radius-"

Carlisle nodded, "I would not ask you to do so on my behalf. If you choose not to stay after seeing what our situation is, you are free to go with no ill-will -"

"No one you've ever known is likely safe now, if you've angered them!" Alistair exclaimed, his eyes widening, "A fine mess, this is. You understand that, Carlisle?"

"I wouldn't ask if this weren't of urgent importance to my family."

Alistair's face clouded over, "Some of us don't have a family."

Alistair's gaze returned to the book, the title of which Carlisle could not make out clearly, the tiny gold text on the spine worn away long ago. Summoning every ounce of worry and concern he held now for the safety of his family, Carlisle played the one card he'd hoped not to need in his request.

"Alistair, you once told me you owed me a great favour. I have never _ever_ held you to that, believing firmly that we should help others out of our own free will. But this situation more than merits such an invocation. For the sake of the friendship we have, forged on the time I convinced the Volturi to spare your life after your careless newborn mistakes, for every bit of instruction and teaching I provided you, for every gesture of kindness I bestowed, I ask you now to come to Forks. Hear the story. Leave after if you wish," Carlisle said, stepping forward and placing a hand on Alistair's shoulder, "_Please_."

Alistair remained still, the breeze picking up around them, a dusting of snow swirling into the air and dusting their clothing. Carlisle silently prayed for mercy, for his agreement, for some sort of aid in a time of need. He had not prayed to ask for anything in a great while, and he hoped that would buy him a little divine favour now. When Alistair spoke, Carlisle found his answer.

"I need five minutes to pack."

Alistair stared at the open and waiting brown satchel, finding himself lost again. These moments came more frequently now, with the passing of solitary time. He had little need for companions of his own kind now, save for a momentary distraction from the unending torment that lay inside his weary skull. Even now, her wide blue eyes danced behind his eyelids, trusting and far too knowing. She never left him for long, that tiny little girl in the blue dress that barely covered her knees. In every pause of every noise, she echoed, a siren beckoning him back to his greatest loss.

_"Eyes closed but seeing... Always seeing..." she whispered, her eyes pressing closed briefly, then opening wide, the irises now ruby-red and hungry._

_"_No..."Alistair whispered, shaking his head clear and reaching for a few items of clothing.

Almost ninety years later, and still, she lingered in his mind. Stuffing two spare shirts and a pair of pants into the bag, he reached under the wooden frame of the bed he'd built several years ago in sheer boredom, his kind having no need of sleep. Underneath lay a small suitcase, battered and water-stained, held together by sheer will now. Within it lay his treasured belongings, the things he could not be without. Flipping the latches, mindful of Carlisle's whereabouts (still outside, as he'd requested), he opened the suitcase and winced.

The small white rabbit toy stared back at him, its button eyes staring back at him almost sinisterly. Its fur was dusted with the faint grey of the years, but it had held up well, almost as if waiting for the owner that would never come to claim it.

_"You've brought the rabbit. I knew you would."  
"What rabbit?"  
"A white one. A new pet for me. It was very kind of you. I've not met that one." _

And she'd never met this one, either. It was to have been hers, upon their arrival at their final destination, this very cabin in which Alistair now stood, dejected and mournful. Who was he fooling, believing he could bear to be around others, let alone a family? How could he stand and watch them, knowing that his only family since his human demise years ago was dead, and not be tortured by what may have been? By what she may have become?

Nestling the rabbit into the satchel gently, he then reached for the book beneath it, a worn tome bound in red leather, many pages dog-eared. He'd wanted to remember the parts she had enjoyed most, partly out of reverence but mostly born of masochism. Reading them would conjure up her face, her words and rhymes, her laughter. It was all he had left of her now.

_"Oh no, White Rabbit. Not you. The young one. The Carpenter. All he thinks of is bread and butter and in the tummy. You try to be gentle. I told you; when it's time, you won't mean it. But this other one... He's a tricky sort. He hides in plain sight. He frightens me." _

Alistair buried _Alice's Adventures In Wonderland_ deep within the tangle of loosely folded clothes, her soft features lingering in his mind. She had always known her fate, known that he would take her, that he would attempt to change her. She'd known that he would be her death, and still, she had loved him like family, forgiving to the end. If only she'd been less open, less trusting...

_And then, she would be trapped in that hell hole until she died, in the best possible scenario. At least I tried. I tried, didn't I?_

The books were his last refuge, now, the one place he could lose himself completely, if only for a while. He could believe that it was she who stepped into another world, she who attended strange tea parties and fought the Red Queen. In their pages, his Alice lived. He was safely inside that peaceful place when Carlisle's approach drifted by him, that familiar scent bringing to a boil his loneliness and regret. It was attempting to be a man like Carlisle that had led him to that asylum, which in turn had led him to her. He had flipped to the closing poem of the book he'd clutched tightly in his hands, the words long memorized in his mind:

_Still she haunts me, phantomwise  
Alice moving under skies  
Never seen by waking eyes..._

He'd never had a chance to read her _Through The Looking-Glass;_ he'd saved it as a surprise, to accompany the rabbit in her new life. She would have loved it, he knew; the notion of Alice becoming a queen would have delighted her. In that way, she was forever a child, daydreaming of grand places and sunny days full of mad hatters and other strange delights. She was certainly the queen of his world, even now. It was she who spoke to him now, as he hesitated in spite of the tremendous favour that he did, indeed, owe Carlisle.

_"It's a game, you see. Walrus and the Carpenter. And here is an oyster bed. Rich little pearls, we are. But the Walrus was thoughtful in his death. The Carpenter thought only of his belly. In the end, however, each consumed oysters. There's no way around it."_

Maybe there was nothing he could have done to save her. But maybe he could help somehow with Carlisle's predicament. And wasn't that the sort of thing that he and Carlisle had spent hours discussing in their years in Italy? The notion of redemption, even when damned? Maybe this would be his chance for redemption, to atone for the errors he'd made in Mississippi. And if there were a battle after all, despite Carlisle's claims to the contrary? Alistair tucked the second book deep inside the satchel, tying it shut, a small smile creeping across his lips. Maybe such a battle would end his misery.

Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Alistair slipped out the back door to where his friend awaited him. And he was a friend, all in all; he'd defended him hundreds of years ago, when he'd awoken a newborn in France and desperate from thirst, he'd attempted to drain the life of a young man within the confines of Volterra, a grave transgression that carried lethal consequences for most. If it had not been for Carlisle pleading his lack of mentor, Alistair having been abandoned in a newborn state, the Volturi might have never bothered to examine him further. And in doing so, they had established his ability to track and in that spied a reason to allow him to live. While ultimately, he'd departed for freedom with Carlisle, seeking a new life in North America, the Volturi had allowed him his own transgression. For this, Alistair had vowed himself in debt to Carlisle, a debt he would finally repay.

Carlisle smiled warmly at his approach, "Alistair! Are we ready to proceed?"

Alistair nodded, "We are. We can catch up on the way."

"Certainly," Carlisle said, a softness to his voice.

Alistair sighed, "It was nothing personal, my drifting out of touch -"

"You owe me no explanations, Alistair. Thank you for agreeing to come."

"I do owe you."

Carlisle nodded, "I suppose. I never dreamed I'd have to call it in. To Forks, then."

Carlisle took off at blinding speed, Alistair keeping close behind, his mind drifting to the raven-haired girl with the baby blue eyes, her smile encouraging him in his choice, driving him onward as if she'd seen this in her dreams, and believed that all was for the best. And if she believed, perhaps he could as well.

"_I forgive you now, if that's the choice you make..._"

_I wish I could believe that, sweet __Alice__, _Alistair thought sadly_._


	7. To The Middlegame

_AN:  
_

_Hello my lovelies! Blame work for the delays. How dare work make me, well, WORK? *shakes head*_

_After all the dreadful visions and fear in the opening chapters, this one's a little lighter. Chapter 8 will be... dark. Consider it the lemon before the storm (or grapefruit, since sarawithouttheh says it's classier than a lemon)?_

_Speaking of, this fic earns its NC-17 over the next two chapters in good and bad ways. Good first! May not be the best chapter to read at work. Unless you're my awesome Beta, sarawithouttheh._

_Last, thank you Stephenie Meyer for letting me play with your toys. I will return them well cared for._

* * *

_Costa Rica_

They'd run for hours, dodging sunbeams and border guards as they veered east into Tucson, crossing through to Mexico and slipping into the Sierra Madre Occidental range as Peter and Charlotte had suggested. Continuing southeast to the junction with Sierra Madre and further south, they'd fled Mexico, traversing the less populous roads and paths until finally reaching the refuge of the rainforest near San Jose. Nestled within the shade of the towering trees and fertile vegetation, they'd halted, Alice craving time to check her visions without the distraction of checking their course for humans. Jasper had suggested making their way to the shore and swimming south along the coast, returning to shore as they met with the Andes, but Alice felt secure that their trek to the Amazon River would be sufficiently sheltered and desolate by land.

They sat, backs pressed against a large tree trunk, the forest unusually quiet save a few insects chirping and the nervous calls of birds high above. Nature's creatures could always sense their kind, instinctively aware of their deadly nature. A three-toed sloth hung lazily off a nearby branch, too comfortable to bother with flight, or so Jasper surmised. Alice's eyes were closed, her brow furrowed as she concentrated, anxiety radiating off her tiny frame. Jasper struggled not to soothe her, knowing it would only distract her and delay their journey.

Time was racing by, for the first time in Jasper's immortal life. It was terrifying.

"The Denali clan already arrived," Alice whispered, "They're committed. Irina's betrayal sealed it for them... Eleazar said something to Bella, and now she... A _shield_! Why didn't we think of that?"

Jasper turned towards her, eyes widening, "Edward can't hear her."

"Jane couldn't zap her. Aro couldn't read her mind. Before, I was getting a sense that a key to the puzzle lay with Eleazar, that his arrival would shift the strategy of our family, but with Nessie in the picture, it was a haze. Kate and Bella... I see them in the meadows, and Bella's concentrating hard on Edward. I think she's trying to... Ooh! That will buy us time, Jazz, if Bella can block Alec and Jane."

Alice's eyes opened, a smile crossing her lips. _Yes, this helps. If Bella can stop them in their tracks long enough for the witnesses to speak, then the Volturi will have to back off or reveal their true intentions. And they won't want that, not in front of so many... _Alice rechecked her visions quickly, seeing ahead to the Volturi's arrival... and still, nothing. The complete slaughter of their entire family and the wolves would no longer transpire. Who would survive, however, remained to be seen... but not by Alice's special sight. Her smile diminished, and she felt Jasper's hand close over hers, squeezing it in a gesture of comfort.

"I wonder why you can see Bella, and I can affect her emotions," he mused, "Can a shield be limited?"

Alice nodded, "Aro has a shield, Renata, and she only shields physical actions."

Jasper nodded, "I'd almost forgotten about her. I spend so much time avoiding thought of the Volturi, after what happened..."

Alice sighed, "I promised I would get out alive, didn't I? And here I am, all yours to snuggle."

Jasper smiled, "Is that a hint, Mrs. Whitlock?"

Alice giggled, "Maybe. Do you Southern men act on hints, or strictly on proper invitation?"

"Ma'am, it's a matter of honour that I _strictly_ abide by the express wishes of my female companions, and not be presumptuous," Jasper drawled, winking.

"In that case, I invite you to put your hands on me, _anywhere_ you wish," Alice replied coyly, shifting and nestling herself in Jasper's lap, her back pressed firmly to his chest.

Jasper wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, hugging her close to his chest as he pressed his lips softly to her collarbone, a soft sigh slipping from Alice's throat. In the peripheral of his gaze, the lazy sloth had awoken, drooping slightly, as if examining the pair of vampires, more curious than frightened. A sudden memory left Jasper chuckling, his mouth still against Alice's pale flesh.

"What? Is my neck amusing?" Alice asked.

"No, the sloth. Do you remember that episode of that TV show Emmett loves, the one where they are in the choir and visit the rainforest?"

"South Park!" Alice squealed, "Oh my GOD!"

Jasper laughed, "And the tubby kid, Cartman, he's all 'That's a bad three-toed sloth!' and cracks it with a stick? That suddenly came into my head, looking at the little oaf over there."

Alice's body shook with laughter, "And after that, Emmett kept singing that 'getting gay with kids' song for three weeks, until Rosalie went on a sex strike!"

Jasper grinned, "I may have had something to do with that."

Alice's head twisted to eye her husband suspiciously, "You didn't."

"I was desperate to shut him up."

"You made Rosalie _not_ want sex? Is that even possible?"

Jasper shook his head, "Oh no, Rosalie was getting fed up herself. I suggested she make that demand, added a little persuasion. And then..."

Alice gasped, "You made Emmett hornier than usual. You're EVIL! And brilliant."

"I have my talents."

Alice licked her lips, "Oh, I know _all_ about those."

Alice twisted around, her arms wrapping around Jasper's neck as she kissed him deeply, her legs straddling his hips as his hands roved her back, moving swiftly to her ass, his palms sliding along the lace and silk of the babydoll dress, hoisting it up higher, exposing her smooth thighs. With a fierce hunger to be close, to be with her, his left hand slipped between them, his thumb running lightly along the cool silk of Alice's panties. Jasper heard her gasp, her mouth parting from his to nip playfully at his ear, the grazing teeth sending a shiver down his spine that only fueled his lust. Her fingers swiftly attacked the buttons of his shirt, parting the maroon fabric and revealing Jasper's muscular chest, its only imperfection the assorted vampire bite scars from years past. Her hands drifted, fingertips circling his nipples in that delicate way that drove him mad with erotic tension, her mouth darting to his neck, sucking firmly where his jugular once pulsed with life.

"Fuck, Alice," Jasper growled low.

"Yes, you're going to," she moaned softly against his flesh.

"Smart ass," he murmured.

He felt her hands slip to his pants, nearly ripping the button loose as she undid them, the zipper parting quickly, relieving the pressure on his hardening shaft. His fingers slid underneath her now moist panties, Jasper working first one, then two fingers inside her, pressing forward and up as he worked them in and out of her. Jasper felt her hips grind against him, her kissing more ferocious and demanding along his neck as her right hand stroked him through his boxers. _There is too much clothing_, Jasper muttered in his head, struggling against the urge to tear Alice's clothing away.

"Up. Stand up," Jasper groaned, his left arm wrapping about Alice as his feet planted firmly, pressing him to a standing position against the towering tree.

Alice deftly moved with him, her arms moving to his shoulders to steady herself. With a show of incredible restraint, Jasper seized her panties, tugging them down until they drifted to her ankles, Alice stepping out of them quickly, kicking them away. Her own hands shoved his pants roughly down, with Alice then falling to her knees as she seized the band of his boxers with her teeth. Jasper's eyes rolled back in his head as she worked agonizingly slow at inching them down his frame, determined to torment him in that delicious way only she understood.

"Alice," he gasped, "Please..."

Her reply was muffled by the cotton clenched between her teeth, "Spoken like a true gentleman."

"If you don't hurry up, there will be nothing gentleman-like about the way I take you," Jasper whispered.

Alice smiled, finally releasing his throbbing shaft from its cotton prison, "In that case, I'm going to slow down."

Jasper shook his head, reaching to her waist and pulling her up into the air, "Now you're getting it."

Jasper spun them around, pinning Alice's back against the tree with one arm, hastily freeing himself from the clothing constraining him with the other. Both hands settling to either side of her waist, he hoisted her higher, bringing her hips almost level with his face. Alice quivered, her expression adoring, wanting him as badly as he wanted her, her legs parting an invitation he could never refuse. He leaned forward, burying his mouth between them, his tongue running along her slit slowly, the scent of her eradicating all fears and worries over their future. There was only _now_, only Alice, only the two of them, eternally bound, destiny long ago intertwining their souls. And he loved her, beyond all reason, beyond all physical realms, beyond all boundaries of time. Her gasps and moans filled his ears as he circled her clitoris slowly, the motion firm then delicate, teasing her as she'd teased him.

"Jazz, please..." Alice begged softly, her hands tangling in his thick blonde curls, clinging to the only thing in reach.

"Please?" Jasper murmured, darting his tongue inside her, probing her.

"Be _in_ me. Damn it, Jazz, _please_?" Her begging grew louder, her legs wrapping about his shoulders.

"You know I can't deny you a thing in this world, Alice."

His arms lowering, he turned and threw his back against the tree once more, Alice's feet planting on the trunk on either side of his waist. With a swift motion, she tugged her dress over her head, letting it tumble to the earth beside them as she unfastened her black bra, flinging it carelessly across the clearing. Jasper's mouth met with hers as he slowly lowered her onto his engorged shaft, the two of them gasping as they joined. Alice gripped his shoulders, attempting to slowly raise herself once more, and Jasper smacked her ass, eliciting a squeal.

"I'm in charge, ma'am," he whispered.

Alice giggled, "Yes sir!"

Jasper paused briefly, locking eyes with Alice, overwhelmed by her smile, by the way her eyes squinted slightly when she was aroused, like a child with a very big secret. Her small but firm breasts grazing his chest, he did not break his gaze with her as he slowly moved her up along his shaft, then suddenly down again, driving deeper. Her lock on his shoulders never loosened, her own eyes unwavering as Jasper maintained a painfully slow pace, wanting to memorize the feel of her skin upon his, the way they fit, interlocking perfectly. His tongue flickered out to tease her nipples as he lifted and lowered her, the tiny mounds swelling in response to each touch. Her desperate need for release surged through her, the wanting radiating and flooding his own emotional senses. With a nod, a gesture so subtle only Alice understood, their pace quickened, the bark of the tree grinding into Jasper's back as they worked in tandem, Alice pushing up with her hands and feet as Jasper lifted and lowered, each downward movement driving him harder, deeper inside her. He felt his climax building quickly, the intensity of their locked stare sending him over the edge faster than usual, the moment more potent because of it. Alice moaned louder, biting her lip, and he knew she would join him soon.

"Mark me," she panted suddenly, "_Please_."

Without hesitation, Jasper sank his teeth into her left breast, just hard enough to pierce the flesh, his venom surging through the small wound, ensuring its permanence. Alice cried out, her body shuddering, and Jasper moved faster, his vision spinning away as he came, the tightening of his beautiful wife and her murmurs of his name assuring him she'd found her own release. Her grip slowly loosened upon his arms as she leaned forward, her mouth closing over his, kissing him softly, her tongue caressing his lower lip as he wrapped his arms around her, their bodies still one.

"I love you, so much. I was made for you," Alice whispered, breaking away from his lips.

"I love you, impossibly and forever, however long that may be," Jasper whispered, certain if it were still possible that his eyes would be moist.

Alice buried her head against his shoulder, sighing with content as Jasper held her close, inhaling the scent of her hair, the feel of the short locks as they brushed against his cheek. So quickly, the fear had crept back in, that terror over losing the one thing in his life that had brought him true peace. He couldn't lose her, not now. Not ever.

"Jazz?"

"Mmm?"

"It's okay to be afraid. But you should hope, too."

Jasper planted a soft kiss upon her neck, "I don't want to have to fear this. I don't want it in the realm of possibility."

"Then as much as I'd rather spoon, albeit on the rainforest floor which ranks low in the comfort scale, maybe we should keep moving? It should be dark now beyond the canopy."

Jasper sighed, setting her down gently, "Fine. Cuddle later."

"You're such a girl," Alice giggled, "Oh and Jazz?"

"Yes, love?" he asked, buttoning his shirt.

"No, we can't have rain sex. Not tonight."

Jasper frowned, "It's going to rain soon? Damn it! I should have teased you longer."

Alice giggled, stepping into her panties, "Now, now... There's always the Amazon river."

Jasper growled, pulling her close, "I'm holding you to that."

"You better! Now where the hell did my bra go?"

Jasper gazed around, breaking into a hearty chuckle that left Alice confused, trying to follow his gaze. When she located the source of his amusement, she, too, burst into laughter.

"That's a bad three-toed sloth!" Jasper quipped.

Her bra was wrapped around the sloth's neck. It lazily opened an eye, then closed it. It was oblivious. With a grin, Alice leaped upward, swinging branch to branch, higher and higher, until she reached the sloth, snatching her bra and free-falling back to the earth. Jasper buckled his pants, still chuckling as he watched Alice dress.

"That has got to be the most slothful sloth ever created in nature."

"Or maybe he understood that you do NOT mess with a girl's $200 bra."

Jasper shook his head, "I'm sure the price tag was high on his list of worries."

Alice rolled her eyes, tugging her dress back over her head and reaching for her shoes, long discarded as she'd settled in to examine her visions. Skipping lightly, she returned to Jasper's side, taking his hand.

"Shall we?"

"Lead the way."

They bolted quickly, weaving through trees and brush, a subtle thundering rolling ahead. Jasper smiled. _Alice__ was right; it's about to rain. Maybe she's right about having hope._ His hand firmly gripping hers, he followed her into the dark.


	8. Interposition

_AN:  
_

_Hello my lovelies! You are in luck: this chapter practically wrote itself. Thus, here it is, already! Just like the good ol' days of more frequent updating._

_I said that the last chapter would earn the NC-17 in the happy sense. This one has moments more of the darker sense. I have actually tweaked it darker than the version my beta of awesome, sarawithouttheh, proofed, so surprise Sara! _

_If you are one of the... wait, one person who caught on from DTRH that something like that might happen to come up, kudos to you! Thanks as always to my reviewers (I see you lurking, people! I gave you SMUT! C'mon!)._

_Super special thanks to sarawithouttheh, who has been so hilarious and fun as a beta I can't imagine a story without her pink text snark and glee._

_Last, I do not own Stephenie Meyer's toys, but she seems to be happy to share. This pleases me._

* * *

_Tijuana_

They made it far too easy, milling about this way.

The petite brunette wandered the streets slowly, pacing herself as thick grey clouds obscured the sun, diffusing its light to a vague casting of shadows. She absently eyed trinkets at the stalls scattered along the main roads of the tourist-driven part of Tijuana, shot glasses and little skeleton figures painted onto ashtrays made of sand. A group of bubbly blondes bartered with a shopkeeper across the way, talking down what they were foolish enough to believe was a genuine Prada bag. There was very little that was genuine here, beyond the food. Not that the homemade Pico de Gallo concerned her...

But she was rather hungry, all the same.

The street children rushed a couple in their mid-thirties, their dishevelled and dirty attire a costume as they thrust bracelets into their faces, elastic and bead constructions with the Mother of God figuring prominently. It was the honesty of Tijuana's people that brought her here weekly, their refusal to bow to any expectations of society to hide their true intentions.

Here, it was all about providing what others wanted, for a price. Profits. Benefit to the seller by any means necessary.

A young girl, her hair short and deep ebony, caught the brunette's eye. She wove shyly down the strip, snapping the odd picture as she looked about her, perhaps attempting to locate a lost companion or two. A lost little lamb, she was. Lost lambs did not make it long in this town, with its donkey shows and leering men, anxious to get the tourists loaded on cheap alcohol for their own satisfaction. Her white blouse and flowing black skirt offered little protection from the standard catcalls of the town's folk.

It was approaching twilight. A dangerous time to be alone.

A large group of men approached the girl as the brunette watched, and instinctively she crouched, her eyes absently scanning a collection of figurines. Their eyes bespoke their intentions, as the raven-haired girl's expression betrayed her terror. Poor little lamb. Someone ought to save her.

The brunette rose, approaching the group slowly, her eyes fixed on the brashest of the men, an aging Mexican dressed in knock-off Guess jeans and a blue dress shirt, with a wandering hand that brushed the shoulder of the girl as he encouraged her to come inside a nearby bar, promising a 'good time.' The young girl shook her head, attempting to sidestep him and stumbling in her flip flops. As he edged closer, he found himself toe to toe with the brunette.

"She's not interested, Señor."

The man eyed her warily, "You her friend? We have more than enough to go around," he leered, chuckling to his friends.

Her jaw set firm, she continued, her dark black sunglasses concealing the fiery rage in her eyes, "I do believe she was rather politely telling you to fuck off. She doesn't want your sorry bunch to play Papi to her. Go."

The young girl stammered behind her, her camera thrust deep inside a small handbag, "She-she's right. Go away!"

The men remained frozen, a slight tremor the only sign of fear within the ringleader. The brunette smiled wickedly, murmuring in Spanish as she tilted her glasses down her nose. Wordlessly, they departed, muttering apologies as they scattered into a nearby pharmacy. Her glasses tucked neatly back upon her tiny nose, the brunette turned to face the shaking young girl behind her.

"Wow. Um, thank you... My friends, they were supposed to meet me..."

The brunette waved away her explanations, her teeth gleaming against her cafe au lait complexion. "They'll never learn, these men. They stalk, and fail."

"Well, thank you, again. I'm so turned around from the shuttle bus depot. I think my friends took off into yet another bar, but I just want to head back to the hotel."

"I know where that is. It's not that far."

"Really? Could you give me directions?" The hopeful expression on the pale girl's face was almost too earnest.

"Better: I shall escort you there."

The young girl beamed, running her hand through her short locks, "You're too kind. I'm Jenny, by the way."

The brunette smiled, looping her arm loosely around her new companion's, "A pleasure to meet you, Jenny."

"Thank you, again, truly... I'm sorry, did I miss your name?"

The brunette chuckled, "No, no. How rude of me. I am Maria."

They walked steadily, Maria's sundress swishing in time with Jenny's long skirt, the girl far too distracted to notice the back alley they were drifting towards as they wove among the dwindling tourists. _Lost little lamb, so easily led_... Maria smiled, her lips moist with the venom pooling beneath her tongue. She had provided safety from the men for this girl... and now, she would pay the price.

That was the way of Tijuana.

* * *

_30 Miles South of Forks, WA_

The charcoal sedan coursed its way along the interstate at the precise speed limit, the occupants shielded behind its tinted windows striving to minimize attention from any passersby. While normally it would be more prudent to run the distance from the California coast, a quick check of the weather indicated that there would be no possibility of departure before nightfall. And given the urgency in Jasper's tone, Charlotte had felt it important that they arrive without delay at the Cullen homestead. Peter had silently agreed, more out of deference to Charlotte's wishes than any desire to rush. With a quick jaunt into the nearby state park to say goodbye to their young doe and sate themselves on a pair of men conducting a drug deal in the secluded parking lot, they'd hit the road, a scant few items packed for their trip.

Peter was troubled by this request of Jasper's, although he had yielded out of a bond of brotherhood. The secretive nature of the trouble facing the Cullens left a bad taste in his mouth. That fact, coupled with Jasper and Alice's departure from the Cullen home, led him to believe that this was a situation from which he and Charlotte should flee. And then, there was the oddity of their departure: Jasper and Alice had completely disregarded Peter's directions to South America, leading him to believe that perhaps they had deceived them. And if that were so, what else were they being deceived about?

"I don't believe they're in South America, Charlotte," he spoke aloud, flipping the indicator as he merged right, exiting for the main road through Forks.

Charlotte sighed, her fingertips wandering through her white blonde hair, "No, I don't believe so."

"Why would they deceive us?" Peter asked, surprising himself with the tinge of anger in his voice.

Charlotte reached for his thigh, squeezing it gently, "Edward, of course."

Peter hesitated, weighing this statement and drawing a blank, "What about him?"

Charlotte's words only added credence to his concerns over the nature of the trouble awaiting them, "Jasper and Alice do not wish to be found. Edward would pluck that information from our minds easily. They know this. Thus, they deceived us, but only to deceive him."

"It would explain why they did not take the shortcut to Baja, why they veered east instead," Peter mused.

"We will listen to the Cullens and decide afterward. Alice would not send us into immediate danger, Peter."

Peter kept his silence, his eyes on the road. _Perhaps not, but there is danger awaiting us_. He glanced quickly at Charlotte, at how calmly she sat, her gaze tracking the passing cars, her legs crossed, the skirt of her lavender sundress hitched slightly above her knees. He would not allow anything to happen to her, not for anyone in this world. Without Charlotte's grace, her laughter, Peter's world was one lived in greyscale. She had brought beauty and meaning to a life of fighting and misery. More importantly, she was the first choice he had made in his life, mortal and beyond. As a young teen, Peter had conformed to the expectations of his family, ignoring his own passions and striving to achieve all that they requested, allowing them to live their dreams vicariously. The moment he had chosen to abandon Maria and run away with Charlotte had been his one act of rebellion, the only one that ultimately mattered. He had spared her life and in turn saved his own.

"The turn is ahead," Charlotte's delicate voice announced.

Peter nodded, directing the sedan down the winding driveway towards the Cullen home, his mind resolute. There would be no fighting, no death, no danger for he or his mate. And wherever Jasper and Alice had truly gone, Peter hoped that they would cross paths again someday. Parking the car carefully, Peter killed the engine, his hand reaching to cover Charlotte's upon his leg.

"Are we ready then?"

Charlotte smiled, "With you beside me? I'm ready for anything."

With a nod, Peter stepped from the car, shutting the door as an anxious form with bronze hair approached hurriedly. With a weak smile, he extended his hand to Peter, nodding to Charlotte.

"Peter and Charlotte! Did Alice-?"

"We saw them this morning," Charlotte replied, "They said there was a matter of urgency here, but did not explain it. They were in a rush."

"Did they say where they were headed?" Edward asked hopefully.

Peter shook his head, "We have no idea where they are headed, I'm afraid."

Edward nodded, mulling this over silently. Peter did not need to feel the probe to know that Edward was verifying his thoughts. With a shake of his head, perhaps in sorrow, Edward gestured towards the vast Cullen home.

"I suppose you'd like to find out why you're here. If we step inside, you will see precisely what we're dealing with."

Hand in hand, Peter and Charlotte followed him inside, their steps hesitant, their minds in unison. _We listen. We'll decide_. It was a simple request. They would honour Jasper's friendship. As the door opened, Peter was immediately struck by two scents that were decidedly not vampire... and heartbeats.

With trepidation in his voice, Edward began to speak. "I must ask you to listen closely to what lies in the next room..."

* * *

_El Paso, TX_

The small one-level home, abandoned five years ago after the last owner was found murdered within, served the needs of Maria and her partner. It was secluded, nestled in an area with vast cattle farms that left plenty of space from prying eyes. It was believed cursed or haunted by some, which deterred humans further away, lest the death lingering on its walls be contagious. But most importantly, the scent of death lingered here, reminding Maria of why she had fought for so many years for the territories of the South.

Blood, in abundance.

A familiar scent, one of oak and willow, drifted in through the broken window pane beside her, and Maria smiled. She looked forward to describing the young aspiring photographer and arts student, Jenny Price. She'd moved from Utah to San Francisco six months prior...

"_You're so kind to do this for me. I really can't believe Rob and Andrea. One minute I was taking a shot of one of those painted donkeys, and the next... Who knows? Rob probably wanted another margarita to wash down the churros."_

_Maria shook her head, "Sometimes friends are not true. I have experienced this myself, many times. You learn to be your own best friend."_

_Jenny shrugged, "They'll be sorry when I drink all the coolers at the hotel. Do you live here in Tijuana?"_

"_Oh no. I keep myself in El Paso. You could say I'm taking a trip down memory lane this evening."_

_Jenny glanced around the bleary alley, the silence of it striking. Not a sound of nature, not a car honk... It was rather desolate._

"_Are you sure this is the way?" Jenny asked nervously._

_Maria smiled, "It's a shortcut. The locals, they show it to me."_

_Jenny's pace quickened, and Maria could hear her heart accelerating. Her eyes darted side to side, taking in the lack of escape options. Poor little lamb was finally catching on to her role in the charade, it seemed. _

_So very thirsty._

"_Um, maybe I shouldn't abandon them on the streets like that," Jenny said quietly, "Maybe I should go back and look for them."_

_Maria flipped her long brown hair, halting beside the young girl, "If you are certain."_

_Jenny made it three steps before the crushing force of Maria's hand closed around her throat, cutting off her air supply. The young girl gurgled, her eyes bulging as Maria dug her tiny fingers into her mouth, humming a traditional Mexican tune as she plucked the girl's tongue from her mouth as if parting a petal from a rose. The gurgling grew more frantic as Maria's lips pressed to the rushing blood, sipping slowly. _

"_Delicious. You taste of innocence. I bet you are a virgin, aren't you, little Jenny?"_

_Her hand plunged into the girl's large purse, her smile growing wider at the prize she found within. How perfect! She'd come prepared to die. With a wicked grin, Maria pulled her into the darkest recesses of the alley, lunging for the hapless girl's jugular_...

Her blood had been particularly sweet, her inarticulate screams muted as Maria had forced the souvenir t-shirt from the girl's handbag down her throat. It was precisely the pick-me-up she'd craved this restless day. Her eyes flickered now to the front door, where an imposing man stood, his deep brown skin starkly contrasted to the white t-shirt he wore. His long black hair hung loosely over his shoulders, his burgundy eyes wide as his gaze settled upon her.

"Maria," he said quietly.

"Alejandro!" Maria purred, "I had the most delightful time in Tijuana. Found an impressive food stand in the middle of a throng of dirty old men. You should have come."

"Maria," he repeated, an edge to his voice that made Maria rise to her feet.

"Is there something wrong? Is Rosita's group reforming?"

Alejandro shook his head, stepping forward, "No. But I saw... What I did not expect to see."

"And that was?"

Alejandro hesitated only briefly before replying, "I saw Jasper and his mate. They were cutting through the Madre, headed south."

Maria froze, her mind whirring with questions at this news. _I thought that attack had failed, miserably even. The Cullens do not live in the South, not ever. They mingle with _humans_. They were alone? They would cross the South after Calgary?_ Flipping her long brunette locks over her shoulder, Maria returned her focus to Alejandro.

"They were alone? The two of them?"

"Yes, Maria. I saw no others."

"Why would they be in this area at all? This makes no sense. Did you pursue?"

"You told me once of the little one's visions. I didn't wish to risk it until I understood them better. I returned instead to your side."

Maria nodded, "That's certainly something to be considered. What else?"

"He looked fearful. He held her tightly. Something dark drove them South."

Maria shook her head, "I thought that twit launched her attack months ago and failed... There were Children of the Moon. The goddamn Cullens had Children of the Moon! No wonder the Volturi whisper of their coven's power. But what, then? Why depart?"

Why, indeed. Maria paced, wearing a path in the wood panels beneath her feet, heels clicking rapidly, the noise resembling a submachine gun's rat-tat-tat. Had the little one seen reason to flee? Were the Cullens, at last, being taken down a notch? The thought pleased Maria, who found so much power assembled for no purpose wasteful. And after their encounter in Calgary... There was certainly _bad blood_ after that little slaughter, now, wasn't there? Jasper hadn't taken too kindly to his gift, and neither had his family.

"Maria," Alejandro whispered, "Action?"

"Not yet," Maria replied.

Things could not be too hasty. She'd stressed that to the fiery-haired one, the one with the grudge... Ah, yes. _Victoria_. They'd nearly come to blows over a prime human male, one that Maria had been eyeing for some time as a potential for her army. Victoria had been looking for lunch.

She'd happily settled for a young girl outside Juarez. They were much easier targets than most. It was only too easy to create the illusion of rape and homicide, death at cruel human hands: a broken neck, perhaps an object inserted into unpleasant orifices, and the medical examiner would lump the body into a collection of mostly faceless women. The police would not investigate very much anyway - such was the way in Juarez - but appearances had to be maintained to avoid interference from the Volturi. Victoria was drifting, working to lose one in pursuit of her, even as she pursued his mate. Maria had offered refuge for a few days' time and, after hearing of Victoria's plight, counsel.

After all, if you had declared war upon an army, one did not come alone if one intended to win.

Victoria was fascinated by the armies of the South, by the competition, by the way vampires here submitted freely to their bloodlust. Having led a nomadic existence for so long, her only companion her creator, it was all novel to Victoria. When she spoke of the destruction of her mate, her James, Maria had sympathized. When she had spoken of who was to blame, however, Maria's own anger boiled over. Jasper - _her_ Jasper - had abandoned her, had refused her invitation in Calgary on the grounds of tiring of fighting and death... only to turn around and readily destroy one of his own for the sake of a mortal girl? It was altogether strange to forgo human blood; it was a worse betrayal of the essence of their kind to slaughter one of their own for the sake of a walking, talking meal.

And so Maria had showed her a few tricks - not enough, naturally, to allow Victoria to surpass her own skilled collection of fighters. But she'd shown her enough about wrangling newborns, about persuading them to follow, of the better selections from the pool of humans wandering the earth. Maria sensed that Victoria would eventually fall in battle - she was far too impulsive and emotionally invested - but surely, with an army in tow, she would first decimate the Cullen coven's numbers. Knowing Jasper, Maria had surmised that he would easily survive. Perhaps, she'd dared to hope, he would be the _lone_ survivor...

And then, Maria would be there, to tender him an offer that he would be foolish to refuse.

When word had reached Maria of the Volturi's arrival in Washington, she had quickly scattered her armies, Alejandro taking the strongest fighters to a remote location in the Sierra Madre to hide. They'd swiftly departed, however, stopping long enough to extinguish remaining newborns held captive by the Cullens - _all_ of the Cullens. Victoria had failed, utterly and completely, and Maria was left with a growing struggle to maintain a hold on her lands, and a longing for the vampire who'd helped her during her most successful raids - and no way to truly reach him.

Until now, perhaps...

"I want him watched for, lest he wander through this area once more," Maria pronounced suddenly.

"Should I track him?"

Maria frowned, "Alejandro, he is with a seer. You must not even think of coming too close or he will know. Best we stay where we belong, and allow him to stumble past us. If he and the seer have parted from the coven, this bodes well for our fight."

"Does it?" Alejandro questioned.

Maria smiled, "Of course. Killing one vampire is so much easier than six. Wouldn't you agree?"

Maria turned her attention to the window, eyes locked on the full moon above. _I must be sure. I must be patient. If it is down to her as an obstacle... Then perhaps it is time. Perhaps._ Maria would happily bide her time.

After all, good things came to those who waited...

* * *

**_END NOTES_**

_Sooo...._

_1) Remember that chapter in DTRH with a flash of Victoria? While sure, it was set up to foreshadow/reference Eclipse (and also reveal more depth to her hate for the Cullens), I brought her up for a reason._

_2) There is a quick reference to Maria in Midnight Sun that I could not resist._

_3) It is suggested in Eclipse that Victoria learned about armies in the South and it's even suggested that they ask Maria for help... But they don't. _

_Oh Maria... you sick, evil vampire. So much fun to write._

_Next chapter... something that a few people have asked me about in terms of what this tale would and would not have._

**_Also... great news! This story (and Down The Rabbit Hole) have been nominated over at the Indie TwiFic awards! Yay! Thank you so very much! Stay tuned for your chance to vote:_**

**_._**


	9. Strategy

_AN:  
_

**_(July 2009) This story has been nominated in two categories for the Indie TwiFic Awards_**

**__****Category: **

**_Best Canon WIP  
Best Characterizations (non Edward/Bella) WIP  
_**

**_If you love what you read, please consider supporting this story (or Down The Rabbit Hole or Disc Jockeys - all 3 are up for awards) at _**

_**theindietwificawards dot com**_

_**For sneak previews and updates on my story projects, follow me on Twitter: casket4myfanfic  
**_

* * *

_Jackson__, __MS__February 20, 1920_

It had taken some persuasion of the mighty doctor who presided over the patients of Mississippi State Insane Hospital, but Alistair had managed to elicit approval for his latest diversion for the clever mind of his Alice. With a triumphant grin, he slipped into her cell at 3am, chuckling as he found her wide awake, a bemused expression upon her tiny lips.

"We're to play a game tonight? I dreamed of a game, with lovely little figures. They ran about in strange patterns. If they are royal, why are they black and white, not blue with their blood?"

Alistair chuckled, "Oh Alice. Your question is easily resolved with the examination of the colours. White and black: what are they?"

Alice pondered this, tugging at her short hair absently as Alistair placed a box upon the cool cement floor, "White and black? Master and slave. Purity and poison. What I once lived in, and where I exist now. Pianos. This shall drive me mad as a hatter."

"Then I shall tuck you into a teacup, little dormouse," Alistair proclaimed, seating himself beside the box, "Good and bad, Alice. Opposites. One radiates light; one absorbs it. Giving and greed?"

Alice clapped, "That's a clever one, dear Rabbit! That makes you a giver, then?"

Alistair nodded, "I do come bearing a gift. I cannot let you keep it on your own, I'm afraid. But I will bring it when I can."

"Not like the Crocodile," Alice whispered, "It will be soon. You will have to choose. How cheerfully he seems to grin; it is a grin without a face."

Alice rose from the corner of the cell, moving to sit before the plain box laying in front of Alistair. Hesitantly, her hands reached for it, then paused, pulling away. Her blue eyes looked to him, her head tilted sideways.

"It is you who must begin. The pieces are yours to set in motion. Choose well."

Alistair reached for the box slowly, a nagging sense that this pronouncement bore more weight than the surface of it. _The pieces are yours to set in motion_… Had she seen the Hunter's strategy? Had she seen something more? Something that might hinder their escape? With heavy hands, he lifted the lid, revealing a tray of tiny marble figures in varying shapes.

"Alice, do you recall the poem I recited for you a while ago? The one of the Walrus and the Carpenter?"

Alice nodded, "Yes. I asked you for it. I dreamed that you would meet your Carpenter and wanted to know what he would be to me."

Alistair nodded, "That poem comes from a different story, a different tale about Alice. I shall read it to you someday soon. But first, I thought it might be fun for you to learn of the game Alice plays in the story. Have you ever been shown chess?"

Alice shook her head, "We did not play games like this in my home. We read, and sang to God."

Alice paused, her fingers fumbling along the edge of the box, her eyes staring off into a world that Alistair was not privy to. Her silence was disconcerting; Alice never chose her words carefully unless they were words that brought her pain. His hand reached for hers, squeezing it lightly then releasing it. Alice nodded, her eyes lifting to meet his, blue fixed upon the deep brown of a vampire who had not fed in some time.

"He does not answer prayers. Perhaps he, too, is afraid of Delia's screams down the hall. There is no God in here, White Rabbit. But there is mercy. You bring me that. You will offer more."

Alistair nodded solemnly as Delia, on cue, began to softly weep. He turned his head towards the cell door but found Alice's hand upon his cheek.

"No need, White Rabbit. She weeps at the truth I speak. Distract us all, then. What is chess?"

Alistair shook himself, returning his attention to the box between them. Lifting the tray of figures carefully and setting it aside, he revealed a simple board beneath. Alice stared at the board and its alternating light and dark squares, watching as Alistair carefully placed pieces upon it, each figure producing a slight click as it met with the wooden board. Alice's finger immediately grazed the White King, fingering the cross atop its crown.

"God, again. God and Country. A king?"

"Yes, dear Alice," Alistair replied, gesturing to the tall figure beside him, "And this is his Queen. Chess is a very strange game, Alice; in it, the woman has the most power. The Queen may move in any direction she chooses, for as many places as she likes. The King may move freely as well, but only one square at a time."

"His crown is heavier; his burden weighs him down," Alice mused, reaching for the piece in the corner, "And is this his home?"

Alistair nodded, "Clever girl. That is the Rook. He moves side to side, or forwards and back. He proves a lovely wall to protect the King. And this fellow with the curved head is the Bishop. He moves on diagonals."

Alice shook her head, reaching for the second Bishop, "The King prays to him, but surely sacrifices him in the name of victory if need be. He's shady, moving on such a slant; how does one confront danger without facing it head on?"

"Religion can be abused, can be turned into trickery," Alistair conceded, "But it has its beauties too. Can you guess at what the horse might be?"

Alice frowned, "I'm not certain, but he does seem lovely. I think I like him second-best."

"Second-best for the Knight, then? He has a special way of moving, due to his steed; he moves in an L, like so," he explained, demonstrating upon the board, "L for leaping brooks and streams."

"Clever!" Alice exclaimed, "He seems fun. He prances over the heads of silly Bishops. But what are these tiny fellows? Commoners to the slaughter?"

Alistair chuckled, "Many play them as if they were, but they are incredibly valuable if you take good care of them. They are Pawns, but they have great potential, like you."

Alice leaned forward, taking hold of a tiny white figure, "I am a Pawn? Canon fodder? I suppose it is so."

"No, no; you are someone overlooked in the crowd. You are underestimated. But, given the protection of the right people," he continued, moving a Knight to stand before a Pawn, "A Pawn can cross the board and in doing so, become a Queen."

Alice gasped, "A Queen? How might an ordinary madhouse wretch become a Queen?"

Alistair shook his head, "You are not mad; this place is mad. And we shall see as we play. Are you ready to learn?"

Alice nodded her head enthusiastically, "Oh yes, please! I want to see a board of Queens!"

Alistair laid out the black pieces upon their squares, arranging them neatly. With a flourish, he seized a white pawn facing the black Queen and moved it forward two squares.

"Pawns normally move one square forward – never back. When they first begin, they are permitted an extra square. A head start, maybe. They capture diagonally forward, on the sly. Most players want to control the centre of the board to defend their King. I shall show you a more clever way to play."

Alistair took hold of the Black Knight on the white square, moving it forward two squares and one closer to the Pawn. He then advanced the Pawn to the left of the one first moved. With a smile, he edged forward the Pawn to the black Knight's outside.

"Sometimes Alice, it isn't always best to seize the centre immediately. It begs exposure. It's sometimes wise to surround, to flank. Do you see what the Knight has done? He's made it impossible for the first Pawn to move. He will be taken prisoner rather easily if he does."

Alice studied the board carefully, her eyes dashing back and forth, the pupils wide. Her hand reached out slowly, trembling over the black Bishop behind the Knight Alistair had placed. With a grin, she slid it forward to where the black Pawn once sat.

"Crooked little Bishop is waiting to destroy any threat to the good Knight."

Alistair gasped, "Precisely right! But how might white answer this?"

Alice bit her lip lightly, her hand moving as if a pendulum, swaying back and forth above the board. With a sudden nod, she reached for a white Knight, planting it behind one of the Pawns.

"The Knights must be ready to duel," she declared triumphantly.

Alistair laughed, "I do believe you've dreamed this sequence before, dear girl."

Alice shook her head, "I do not remember it all. I remember only the end…"

With a hummed melody drifting from between her pursed lips, she nudged forward the black Pawn before the Queen a single space. Leaning back, she surveyed the board, eyeing the placements on either side.

"It would seem that black is ready to play, now. Silly white has underestimated those from the darkness."

Alistair nodded, "This is a special way to defend for black. They call it the King's Indian Defense. I have shown it to you for a reason, my Alice. Do you understand?"

Alice nodded, reaching out to graze a black Pawn with her tiny fingertips, "Because we too must wait on the side, and make the little white coats believe they have the power. We will have our time," Alice smirked, "Is that so, then? Is there freedom in the ending of an oyster, dear Walrus?"

Alistair sighed, "In a sense. It is freer than this place. The point is this, Alice: no matter what may come, you will be well protected. You will be kept safe on your journey to your royal court. I do not undervalue you."

Alice frowned, "Someday… That may change."

"How so?" Alistair asked, confused, "Have you dreamed something?"

Alice shook her head, "It is simply true. The fates changes, and decisions are made. We cannot truly know the future, know our hearts. We sometimes end to begin. But I do not worry about losses; they are part of the price we pay in this life. And white may be clever enough to seize you, dear Knight."

Alistair remained silent, mulling her words. _Would he be able to protect her beyond the walls of the asylum? Would he be able to withstand the strategy of the Hunter? And if he did not, what would become of the beautiful raven-haired girl before him?_ Alistair felt a small hand press to his arm as a soft voice whispered in his ear.

"You will try your best. I only hope to be a Queen first, so that I might slay he who slays my Knight. But it's a game that we must play. I will remain a Pawn if we do not move about."

Alistair nodded, running a hand through his auburn locks, "I know this."

"Shall we play? Practice our strategy?" Alice asked eagerly.

Alistair chuckled, "Right then. I'll continue as white. It matches my coat."

Alice giggled, "A coat for your rabbit fur coat! But not a jacket; those are mine to wear. Come, White Rabbit; let us see you escape the wisdom of the darkness."

Alistair made his move, watching with delight as Alice's enthusiasm grew with each turn she took. Each round elicited the same vigorous scanning of the board, the same shy hand hovering, waiting to strike at the precise piece she desired. It was true, what she had spoken; they could not afford to remain motionless. His secret plan, nearly complete, would be necessary to save his Alice's life, even if it might ultimately fail and destroy the fascinating and clever girl he'd come to know. In movement, there was risk, but also hope, a hope he now dared to cling feverishly to.

He would be the white Knight. He would guide her safely to the other side, through the looking-glass to a better world, one where she would be a Queen, powerful and free. And Alistair would serve her, protect her, until his own end.

In saving her, he would save himself.


	10. 4 Pawns Attacked?

_AN:  
_

**_(July 2009) This story has been nominated in two categories for the Indie TwiFic Awards_**

**__****Category: **

**_Best Canon WIP  
Best Characterizations (non Edward/Bella) WIP  
_**

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* * *

They'd somehow managed to completely avoid the Amazon coven for nearly two days, scarcely detecting any trace of vampire scent in their travels. Although the Amazons were on friendly terms with the Cullens, the family seldom saw them; Senna, Zafrina and Kachiri preferred to live as their people had during their mortal time, surviving off the land and finding shelter within nature's formations. Although they hunted humans, they also killed animals, drinking their blood so as not to waste the creatures before using their hides as clothing. Alice had seen them only twice in her time with the Cullen family: once as the entire family had taken a trip to the Amazon to hunt the jaguars and anacondas of the region, and once while she'd attempted to follow Edward upon their departure from Forks in the wake of Bella's horrible birthday party. They were kind, if quiet; they did not speak much without prompting. They demonstrated a great warmth, however, and Kachiri in particular had a subtle sense of humour Alice enjoyed immensely.

It was on the evening of the second day along the Amazon river that Jasper suddenly froze, his eyes widening. He gestured to the east, smiling widely.

"I think we've finally found something. Smell anything vaguely familiar?"

Alice inhaled deeply, rolling the scent around on her tongue. _Ah! Yes, that did ring a bell_. With an enthusiastic grin, she checked her visions quickly, debating whether the scent was from the northeast or simply east. East yielded another night of frustration; northeast yielded a familiar lanky female form...

"Northeast, Jazz. Let's go!"

The two of them ran at full tilt, pausing only briefly to recheck the trail as they moved over brush, darting through clusters of towering trees, Alice often reaching up to swing from overhead vines. Jasper joked that she was becoming Tarzan and suddenly found himself yanked into the sky, tossed over a vine like a damp piece of laundry hung out to dry.

"Me Tarzan, you Jane," Alice chirped sweetly from beneath him.

Swinging around the vine twice before releasing it, Jasper shook his head, glaring at Alice, "You, dear little pixie, are in serious trouble for that move."

"Catch me first, slowpoke!" Alice taunted, dancing her way through the trees ahead at a furious pace.

The scenery passed in a blur as Jasper gave chase, cursing the dexterity of his wife as she eluded his every lunge and advance, giggling as she moved farther ahead. Jasper poured on the speed, his brow furrowing as Alice disappeared entirely from view. _There's no way she's gone that far ahead. _His eyes scanned the forest before him as he inhaled, the scent of her strong. She was near... but where the hell was she? Slowing to a halt, Jasper growled low, frustrated.

"Alice?"

A slight _whoosh_ was the only warning as a lasso of thick vine suddenly looped over his head, tightening about his torso and arms, imprisoning him. Jasper gazed up to find Alice, chuckling as she balanced on a thin branch ten feet overhead, tugging at him playfully.

"Looks like I wrangled me a Southern gentleman," she exclaimed.

"I thought there was no more time for naughty behaviour," Jasper replied, feigning a struggle against his bonds.

"There's _always_ time for a little fun," Alice declared, leaping to the earth beside him, "Besides, I had to wait up for you anyway. _Someone_ needs to work out more-"

A sudden noise caught both of their attention and they halted, inhaling deeply. The scent was very strong now; they were almost on top of it. Alice could make no shapes out among the trees and brush, nor could she detect any movement save the slightest rustling from the wind created by their antics. Her eyes widening as an idea struck her, she craned her neck upwards, smiling widely at what she found.

"I was wondering if I'd finally get the drop on you, Miss Alice," the dark-skinned woman chuckled from the high canopy above, releasing her grip and plummeting to the ground beside Jasper.

"Kachiri! It's so good to see you!" Alice exclaimed, throwing her arms around the Amazon.

"As it is good to see you. And yet, I suspect it is not good, your arriving here without warning," Kachiri concluded, turning to Jasper and shaking his outstretched hand, "What brings you to my home, Crouching Jaguar and Leaping Leopard?"

Alice smiled softly at the memory of their family visit, wherein Kachiri had christened she and Jasper with their nicknames. It had begun with a friendly game of tag within the canopy, Alice procuring a large branch and challenging Jasper to a duel. Jasper, more than willing to demonstrate his fencing skill, had taken her up on it, the two of them battling it out at lightning speed on the narrowest of brances. Emmett had watched from below, buckled over in laughter, insisting they were the spitting image of the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Kachiri, shaking her head, had corrected him: Jasper was the jaguar, Kachiri had decided, for his manner of stalking that very animal during a hunt, while Alice's evasive maneuvers had earned her the latter name. Alice smiled at the memory as the svelte Amazonian surveyed them, her face soft. She had missed Kachiri dearly.

Jasper sighed, "It's serious business, as you have wisely suspected. Where are the others?"

"My sisters are near our new camp, fifty miles east of here. I will lead you to them. We'll talk on the way."

Alice and Jasper followed as Kachiri ran at a pace perhaps twice that of a human, allowing them the ability to chat with ease and appreciate their surroundings. Jasper in particular was fascinated with the flora of the rainforest, having made a study of it after their honeymoon in Hawaii so many years ago. It was often the case that little events would trigger intense research on his part, some new obsession that left Alice in wonder as he devoured every last book on said subject. Alice, however, could think of one thing: the image of her family, slaughtered. _I won't allow it. We're growing closer to the answer right now; I'm certain of it_. The image of Jasper burning stormed into her mind and Alice shuddered in horror, willing away the vivid flames licking at the blonde mess of curls on his head, a scene so real she could almost smell him burning to ash. _No! It won't be that way. We'll be okay._ She simply had to remain focused. Everything would work out somehow.

"Why did you move camps?" Alice asked, seeking distraction.

"There is great unrest further north," Kachiri replied, "The armies, they are growing. They plot. They fight. We moved further away from that. It would seem there are armies on all sides, these days."

Jasper frowned, "Is it bad, like the days of the Volturi's clean-ups?"

Alice winced, recalling Jasper's vicious history. If things truly were becoming that bad once more, it was certain that Maria was a key player. And if Maria were back in the game on that level, Alice sensed that Jasper would be contacted once more. _Not another Calgary_, Alice thought gloomily, _That was such a trying time. If we succeed here, we deserve peace in abundance_. And if anyone dared to disturb that peace, Alice would not hesitate to destroy them in indignant fury...

Kachiri continued to speak, leaping over a fallen tree, "I do not think it is that bad, yet. But it could be, in time. The fools invite the Volturi back into their lives. There are other worries, strange ones."

"Like what?" Alice asked, puzzled, "Are you three safe?"

Kachiri chuckled, "Miss Alice, do not fear for us. We have lived a long time in this place. We live because we do not disturb the peace. But there are whisperings, and they upset my sisters and I. Nomads who pass through from Brazil tell us of them, of the word that there is one who creates a new army, a superior one. They are different, somehow."

"Have you seen this army?" Jasper asked.

"I have seen one female who may have been part of this new special army," Kachiri offered quietly, "I did not tell my sisters. They would want to move again, and I see no need. The female, she was of our kind, but there was something wrong. She was too skittish."

Alice glanced to Jasper, unnerved by the worry she saw crossing his face. She reached for his hand, seizing it and shooting him a questioning look. _Later_, he mouthed and she nodded quickly, returning her attention to the path Kachiri coursed towards the sound of rushing water. _Behind a waterfall_, Alice concluded, _Natural shelter and cover_. Sure enough, a clearing broke ahead, revealing a waterfall 500 feet away, the cerulean blue of the water as it cascaded, mesmerizing Alice. The sound of it was inherently soothing, almost a hushed whispering of voices in an ancient language long forgotten. It was easy to see why the Amazons would choose such a place for their home.

As they approached, two gracile women with deep brown skin emerged from the water, apparently alerted to their vistors by scent, sound or possibly both. Recognizing the tiny woman and her steadfast companion, they darted out quickly to meet the group, their smiles warm.

"Alice and Jasper! It has been some time," Zafrina announced.

"Is the entire family here?" Senna asked, her eyes scanning the greenery from which they'd emerged.

"No, Senna; it's just the two of us this time. The family needed to remain in Forks," Jasper replied, his voice trembling slightly.

The group now assembled in the clearing, Alice felt that trepidation she'd felt in California resurface. Would they agree to go – to witness for her loved ones? Alice wanted to believe in the inherent goodness of the friends they chose, that they would all heed their call for aid, no questions asked. Her mind drifted back to Victoria's army and she frowned, recalling how even the Denali clan had refused to lend their strengths to the cause. That was a sight she never believed she would witness: family deserting family. And now, given Irina's role in their current crisis... No. She could not believe in anything being inherent. Not anymore.

"Are they okay?" Zafrina asked softly.

"For now," Alice began, "But they are all in danger, as are we. We've come a great distance to ask a favour of you all. Ask may be an understatement... Plead?"

Her hand squeezed Jasper's and his hand answered, his thumb stroking the side of her hand reassuringly. A wave of calm flooded her then, and she knew that Jasper was at work, attempting to ensure their success by the only means he possessed. The Amazons were well aware of the gifts of the Cullen clan; they would know what Jasper was doing. Alice only hoped they took no offense from the action.

"Miss Alice, your words grow more troubling. What is this favour you ask of us? Is there a fight?" Kachiri was blunt, if nothing else.

Alice shook her head, "We've not come to ask you to fight. Unfortunately, there is nothing much we can offer as explanation; the situation is one that must be witnessed, not described. That is what we have come to ask of you all: my family needs you in Forks, to bear witness to the events unfolding."

The silence was chilling in the clearing. Even nature had grown quiet. The rushing waters behind them seemed to roar, its whisper seemingly expanding into the sonic space that other beings once filled. The faces of the Amazons revealed nothing; their expressions were neutral, their eyes blank.

"You are, of course, free to decline and we will remain dear friends. You are also free to return here immediately after you've witnessed our family's plight," Alice continued, speaking rapidly, "But I would hope that you could assist us all in a time of dire threat."

Senna looked to each of her sisters, both of whom nodded assent to an unspoken question. Her face still neutral, she seemed to be weighing out her response for a minute that felt more like an hour to Alice. When she spoke, Alice found herself shuffling her feet anxiously.

"You've said that there is a dire threat, Alice. You've also said that we are not being asked to fight. These things, and Jasper's determination to keep us all level suggest there is a _chance_ of a fight at the very least. But that does not concern me. It does not concern me because we think the world of Carlisle, of all of you. Of course we will go; how could we not? Our travel will be slowed by the sunlight, but surely we can make it there within a few days?"

Kachiri nodded, "Three days at most, sister. Absolutely."

"We should hunt on the way. We must mind the Cullen life," Zafrina added, her hand reaching out to Alice's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

Alice felt herself grinning, her hand dropping Jasper's to embrace Senna, who stiffly returned the gesture. The Amazons, aside from Kachiri, tended to be far less expressive in their affections; however, Alice was simply brimming with gratitude and could not restrain herself. With so much fear on the horizon, she needed to bask in the littlest of joys now, revel in their warmth.

"Thank you," she breathed, pulling back from Senna with a sheepish smile.

"If we do not stand up for our own kind, who shall?" Zafrina proclaimed, her head held high.

Jasper nodded, "Truer words were never spoken. Thank you, all of you."

Zafrina clucked her tongue, "Boy, you worry too much. Your vampire voodoo is not needed here. We are brimming with peace. Look at our home."

Alice's eyes wandered, truly absorbing the beauty and wonder of the surrounding forest, with its lush emerald and hunter greens against the brilliant reds and oranges of the flowers dotting the landscape. _Yes, I see what they mean. This place is beautiful. If my heart wasn't set on Europe, I think I'd want to come here for our next trip._ A flicker of movement in the distance caught her attention and her eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the figure. Was that an anaconda? Alice felt a slight burn at the back of her throat and grinned. Anacondas were so much fun to tangle with, even if they yielded little nourishment.

"We all leave tomorrow night then?" Senna asked.

Alice shook her head, returning her focus to their friends, "Jasper and I have more help to seek out, and you're needed in Forks sooner rather than later. We can direct you easily to our home."

Senna frowned, "We should accompany you. There are too many violent elements in the South."

"Oh Senna," Alice sighed, "We'll be okay. This is something we have to do on our own. I promise our family would support us in sending you along."

The tall woman blinked her burgundy eyes slowly, then took a step backwards, gesturing to the trees surrounding them, "You are, of course, welcome to use our home, even after we depart. The jaguars are plentiful right now; there will be sufficient game to hunt for your needs. We must hunt now and keep up our strength."

"Of course. Again, thank you all. I think Jasper and I are going to enjoy this waterfall first."

The Amazons nodded in unison then bolted into the forest, wasting no time in embarking on their mission. With a sigh of relief, Alice fell to the earth, stretching out in a sunny patch of grass facing the waterfall. Jasper joined her, lounging on his side, his hand toying with her short hair.

"Were you as scared as I that they'd reject our request?" Alice asked.

"Likely more so. I had zero confidence that they'd be willing to travel so far with no explanation," Jasper mused.

"I noticed the mojo at work. Did you really think they needed that?"

Jasper shook his head, "_You_ needed it, and it didn't quite seem to be the time to burst into Elvis songs to distract you."

"Ugh! Jazz, that would be cruel! You _know_ what I think of that man-"

"_I'm just a hunka-hunka burning_ _love_!" Jasper crooned.

"NOT funny," Alice pouted.

"Okay, how about this: _Wise men say only fools rush in..._"

Alice curled into a ball, covering her ears, "I'm going to puke."

"_But I can't help falling in love with you..._" Jasper continued, pressing closer to Alice.

"No, no, no!" Alice wailed, "Don't make me break out the big guns!"

"You wouldn't," Jasper cooed, running his hand along her arm.

"Oh yeah?" Alice announced, rolling to face him, "_If you havin' girl problems, I feel bad for you son! I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one!_"

"Arrgh! Okay, I'm sorry. You win!" Jasper groaned.

Alice shook her head, "_I'm not sayin' she's a gold digger! But she ain't lookin' for no broke_-"

Alice felt Jasper's hand clamp over her mouth and she purred in satisfaction. _Alice 1, Jasper 0._ She licked Jasper's palm, laughing as she shook his hand and feigned disgust, then curled up closer.

"Getting back to business, Mr. Whitlock, I did need a little manipulation, I suppose. But they're going; that's what matters most. Now we can focus on the proof we need."

"We'll likely want to start near Brazil. I could use my credentials to gain access to libraries."

Alice pulled herself up to sitting, her legs tucked to the side, facing Jasper's troubled face, "What was with your reaction earlier when Kachiri mentioned the armies? Did you think of something?"

Jasper sighed, "I could be very off-base, but it struck me as strange timing."

"Timing for what?"

"If the armies are growing larger and clashing more often, it will attract attention as the newborns feed. When the armies attract attention, who comes to provide it?"

"The Volturi? But Jazz, what does that have to do with anything?"

Jasper shrugged, his hand reaching for Alice's, "Perhaps they see us as a threat of some kind? One more army to wipe out on the way to the South?"

Alice pondered this a moment, her mind quickly checking for any signs of the Volturi seeking to quash the unrest Kachiri had spoken of. _Nothing_. As much as Alice wanted to believe that the Volturi were simply checking to ensure that all groups were in line, the nature of her first vision had made it clear that Aro was seeking new toys for his collection. The armies were an issue for them to face at some point – Maria would undoubtedly see to that – but the burgeoning wars were of no consequence for the current trouble the Cullens faced.

"If I hadn't seen what I saw back in Forks, Jazz, I might be able to believe that. This is about acquisition. There's not a doubt in my mind. Aro seeks prizes. He's pissed that, in his mind, Carlisle has the most powerful talents in his arsenal that he does not possess himself."

"You and Edward," Jasper whispered, his grip on her hand tightening.

"And Bella," Alice added, "Surely Aro suspects that she would have a powerful latent ability now that she's made the change."

"If he lays one goddamn hand on you, Alice..." Jasper snarled.

"He won't...."

Alice's voice trailed away as a vision of Bella stormed into her mind. _The woman walked into the restaurant, her head held high in a confidence Alice had scarcely seen in her mortal time. Heads turned as she passed, pausing before a fire, her hands hovering near the flames. She wanted warmth in her skin. J. Jenks, master document forger and friend to the Cullens for 23 years running, approached from behind her, greeting the beauty in the oyster silk cocktail dress. _Alice felt her lips curling into a smile.

"Bella finally learned to dress herself," Alice murmured.

"What? Alice, what did you see?" Jasper asked.

Alice shook her head, clearing her vision and bringing herself back to the concerned look of her husband, "Bella figured things out with Jenks. She realized what I wanted her to do. Mr. Jenks is smitten, poor man. Bella was decked out in a dress that even I would wear."

Jasper chuckled, "I don't believe you. Bella? Picked out an outfit on her own? One you would approve of?"

Alice leaned forward, kissing Jasper lightly, "My baby's all grown up! Next up: Bella _asking_ to go shopping."

"Dream on!"

"Oh I _will_..."

Alice's mind flooded suddenly, her senses overloaded. The images raced – scenery, changing rapidly; she and Jasper, hurrying somewhere; the smell of werewolves on the way. A gasp escaped her throat unwittingly as the images slowed, revealing a horror that would stop her heart if it could still beat.

_The carnage... They'd been thorough. She and Jasper pushed their way through the trees, Alice stumbling backwards against his tall frame as she wept tearlessly._

_The wolves... They lay on the ground, crimson on white beneath them. Alice counted quickly, heaving a brief sigh of relief as she realized who was missing: Jacob. He'd run, hopefully with Renesmee safely on his back. Jasper pulled on her arms, struggling to draw her back into the trees._

"_It's too late, Alice. We need to run," he whispered._

"_No..."_

_The fire... The scent lingered in the air, sickening and thick, coating her throat. She could see Jane, clapping her hands giddily before a pile of ashes, her eyes turning to Aro, seeking his approval as always. He nodded to her, only slightly, his mind distracted. A shout from behind him pulled his attention away, and Alice began to step backwards, no longer resisting Jasper's pull._

Demetri.

"_Run," Jasper urged her, taking hold of her hand._

_She obliged, her feet flying across the surface of the dirt, their bodies twisting to dodge the trees and random boulders. From behind them, the crescendo of footsteps drew closer. Why were they running? Where could they hide_?

Alice willed the vision away, her face contorting into a grimace as she curled her legs to her chest, her body wracked in a silent sob. Why had the vision changed? What decision had sent their path onto this course once more? And how many times would she have to watch her family die? A part of her began to slip away, to recoil as it had in Mississippi, when she'd found the book – _her book - _ and realized that she was where her mortal life had ended, in a fire that coursed her limbs and flesh. _And now my family will burn again, burn until they are consumed by the greed of the Volturi_...

"Alice! Talk to me!" Jasper demanded, pulling her into his arms.

"No use," she whispered, her fingers clutching at him, pressing her ever closer to him.

"No use? Alice, what's changed?"

"I don't know..."

"Alice? Sweetheart, please, tell me," Jasper begged.

Reluctantly, she tilted her head, her eyes meeting his as her body continued to shudder.

"We'll be too late."


	11. Candidate

_AN:  
_

**_(July 2009) This story has been nominated in two categories for the Indie TwiFic Awards_**

**__****Category: **

**_Best Canon WIP  
Best Characterizations (non Edward/Bella) WIP  
_**

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**_

* * *

Jasper felt powerless.

Seven hours had passed since Alice's vision had changed. Whatever horrors had entered her mind, playing out so vividly Jasper would swear she had blanched slightly, she would not reveal them. Each time her lips parted to speak of it, she broke down into a mute sob, her arms wrapped about her tiny frame as if it were on the precipice of shattering, crumbling to dust about his feet. Alice had adamantly stormed off alone, seeking out a refuge in the cradling branches of a tree to check and recheck her decisions and visions. Jasper had remained reluctantly at the waterfall to advise the Amazons that they would return before their departure the following evening. Zafrina's eyebrow had raised slightly, suspicion and concern in her heart, but no questions were asked. The Amazons were far too polite to pry, too private themselves to be intrusive.

And now, for four hours and twenty-two minutes by his watch, Alice had remained in the tree five feet from him, her eyes closed, tiny fists curling and uncurling. Her beautiful face was taut, her lips pursed as she remained deep within the chaos of her foresight. The frantic worry that seeped from her every pore, penetrating his own soul as if it were a dagger to his heart, was so overwhelming that any hope of distracting himself with thought or action was obliterated. He could do nothing but curl up upon his own branch, his hand gripping a nearby branch with so much force it disintegrated, tiny slivers in a flurry as they descended to the ground thirty feet below. He could not manipulate her in this state; it would only infuriate her more than her sense of failure. But if she were to continue on in such deep despair and desperation, he'd have to retreat, lest the tiny cord of sanity he possessed give way.

"What did I do? What did I do wrong? How could I have blown it already? Did they change something? What could have changed? What's the point in trying if they've ruined it?! Damn, damn, damn..."

Jasper sighed sadly, forcing himself to not protest her excessive self-flagellation. If Carlisle and the family had succeeded in rounding up a group of witnesses, the sheer number of vampires whose actions could now create a ripple in their fates was a disaster waiting to happen. The key thing, as best Jasper could tell, was that they still had time to change it once more, to restore hope. He wanted to cling to that one positive thing. He needed to cling to it.

He could not see through her eyes, nor could he bear what he knew must be an incredible burden, their own fate and that of their loved ones loosely held in her small, smooth hands. But he could suffer with her, standing in somber solidarity.

It was better than nothing at all.

* * *

_It played out once more, the sickening snuff film that refused to fade to black. She was running, Jasper at her side, her fists pumping to propel her ever faster. She could smell it, smell the ashes of the burning of immortal flesh, long before her eyes drank in the horrors in the field below. Her vampire ears could hear a whimper, an involuntary body response to such total annihilation of a being. Alec had surely rendered them numb._

_The first body she found within sight was that of Emmett, his bulky frame swatting furiously at monsters unseen, his senses depleted. A few of the nomads – Garrett among them – burned now, Jane dancing as if she were revelling in the wisdom of tribal ancestors, her murderous gifts her sacrifices for the Gods above. The tiny blonde's cruel laughter was enough for Alice to see red, even as her heart broke in the wake of the loss and death sprawling before her._

"_Alice, we need to run," she heard her mate whisper, his voice cracking and low._

"_I... I let them down."_

_She edged a step forward, her eyes counting up the wolves fallen in the dusting of snow, rivulets of red running from their wounds to pool together, liquid orbs. The earth had eyes, eyes of a killer. Eyes of her family's murderers. Jasper was pulling on her arm now, her feet stumbling after him slowly. She could see Aro smile, gesturing to the hills upon which she and Jasper perched, a tiny motion of his finger flagging their hiding place for all to see._

"_Demetri! Alice, come ON!"_

Alice shook her head quickly, shuffling away the vision. Slight details changed, but the ending remained the same: their family perished and they fled, Alice well aware that escaping Demetri – truly escaping him – meant his demise. And his demise would, in turn, earn the devoted attention of every member of the Volturi guard pursuing them until their own destruction.

She'd looked for the immediate futures of her entire family, weighing out their actions and paths, wondering which choice could have disrupted the course of the entire group. Nothing struck her as being unequivocally large enough to create such a dynamic shift. She and Jasper remained set on locating another hybrid; their pathway remained consistent. What was she missing?

"I CAN'T SEE WHAT CHANGED!" Alice screamed, her head collapsing into her knees as she hugged them to her.

From behind her, a quiet reply carried over the rustling of leaves in the lazy breeze surrounding her, "Come here, Alice."

Hesitating briefly, she cursed and kicked the broad tree trunk, seizing a branch above her and swinging herself up and around it, her feet precariously perched upon a sturdy limb. She leaped then, feline as she propelled herself to Jasper's tree, his sturdy arms open and waiting to catch her. He pulled her tight against him, kissing her head, her eyelids, her face, whispering his love for her over and over. A wave of calm rushed over her and she allowed her mind to sink into the softness of the emotion, the way it embraced her, nourished her. What would she do without Jasper?

_You'll find out, if Aro and Demetri have their way_...

"Jazz," she gasped, pressing her face into the soft cotton of his shirt, "I don't know... What went wrong?"

"There's nothing you can see at home?"

"No," Alice moaned.

"Maybe we'll have to call them," he whispered, stroking her short hair.

"No, no.... They'll come after us..."

"When did it change, Alice?"

Alice paused, pulling back slightly, "When? When it hit me by the waterfall."

"No," Jasper said, his stare intense, "When did it last look.... hopeful?"

"I checked it this morning, before we set out further down the river. Things were still a fog then. But we've done nothing! We've recruited witnesses and made plans to continue our search! We..."

Alice froze, her mind carefully replaying the last 24 hours, scrutinizing every word, every choice, every single action she'd taken. Her mind ground to a halt as she replayed their conversation with Kachiri.

"_The female, she was of our kind, but there was something wrong. She was too skittish_."

The army... the superior mysterious army that was whispered of in _Brazil_, home of the Ticunas and their legends of hybrids.... _I am so stupid_, Alice chastised herself.

"It's Kachiri!"

Jasper's brow furrowed, his grip tightening around her waist, "Kachiri? She hasn't done anything, has she?"

"Not yet... And that's the problem! Remember the story she told us, of the army and the strange female that seemed 'off'?"

Jasper slowly smiled, "A hybrid, you think?"

"We chose to not follow that lead and the future shifted."

Alice laughed, a release after the relentless hours of confusion. _Finally. I finally understand what we need to do, why the Amazon coven was so important_. Tugging Jasper's arm, she pointed to the earth beneath them.

"We have to find Kachiri. Come on!"

Jasper nodded, clasping her hand as they fell to the earth, landing firmly on their feet with a _thud_ that echoed through the woods. He smiled as he felt the positive energy begin to emanate from Alice as she ran, her intuition giving her a renewed hope that all would be as it should, that their family would withstand the disingenuous visit from the Volturi. Such a simple little thing to miss for so many hours of heart-wrenching fear; the way life could ripple and readjust to the tiniest of details could still leave him awestruck. The so-called butterfly effect was far more astute of an observation on reality than most humans dared imagine. Alice's visions and their fluidity were his irrefutable proof of it.

Alice halted suddenly, Jasper nearly tumbling to the earth as his arm jolted him back towards her hesitant frame. He caught himself, balancing briefly upon his bent left knee before shifting his weight onto both feet.

"Alice?"

She closed her eyes, smiling wider, "Perfect. She's roaming alone, in search of us. We'll wait for her."

"You could have warned me," Jasper grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Jazz! She just decided to go for a run," Alice explained, pouting, "Forgive me?"

With a chuckle, Jasper pulled her close to him, "Always."

Her head tilted upwards, an offering Jasper accepted greedily, his lips finding her and crushing against them, his tongue darting across hers, inciting them to part. Their kiss intensified, their bodies pressing tightly together as if attempting to become a single entity of love and devotion. Jasper's large hands roamed her slight curves, her dress hiking up slightly as he cupped the sides of her breasts, her murmurs caught within the heat of his hungry mouth. Her hands made their way beneath his shirt, nails raking along the sensitive flesh of his lower back, his groin straining in answer to their etched demands. A slight cough cut through the white noise of the nearby water and wildlife, Alice collapsing into giggles as she buckled before Jasper.

"My apologies, Miss Alice," Kachiri announced, her eyebrow raised, "It would seem you are in capable hands and do not need comfort."

"Kachiri," Alice beamed, "We were about to look for you..."

"In a few hours," Kachiri teased, "You were seeking me?"

Jasper nodded, wrapping his arms about Alice from behind, hugging her gently, "We need your help."

Alice leaned back against Jasper, stifling a grin at the stirring in his khakis, "It occurred to me just now that the army you were telling us about is exactly what we're looking for. We need to ask you to stay behind with us for at least a few days."

Kachiri frowned, "An army is what you seek? Exactly what sort of trouble are you all in, if an army is what the situation calls for? There will be a fight, won't there?"

Alice contemplated this for a moment, "Kachiri, you know how my visions are. You trust them?"

"Of course."

"I promise we will explain everything on the way to Brazil. Senna and Zafrina have to go to Forks. You said that you hid seeing the female from them because they would fear her. What would they do if we told them we were hunting that army, for any reason?"

Kachiri frowned, her lithe body stretching taller in the soft sandy hide of her vest and pants, "Will they be safe on arrival?"

"Absolutely. We promised you that you were all free to leave after speaking with our family at home. There is no immediate danger in Forks," Jasper said, squeezing Alice tighter.

"Very well. Leave this to me, then. We'll depart tomorrow afternoon. You both should hunt now. You look weary."

Alice smiled softly, "You're a true friend, Kachiri."

"Yours is a true heart, Miss Alice. You would not lead a friend astray, nor would I. I'll return to my sisters and reassure them. We leave in twelve hours."

With a slight nod of her head, Kachiri sailed upwards into the canopy of green, flipping and leaping with an agility that would put any acrobat to shame. Alice closed her eyes, sinking into Jasper, her hands covering his as they interlaced at her slender waist.

"Mmm... I never tire of this feeling," she whispered.

"What feeling?"

"Your arms around me. The feel of them. The comfort they bring."

Jasper pressed his lips to the top of her head, "I never tire of your body against mine."

"They say good things come to those who wait. I may have waited an awfully long time for you, but I still feel I've been given too much," Alice mused, her voice faltering.

"Alice?"

"I won't lose you, Jazz," she continued, turning around slowly, her dark eyes mournful, "I can't exist without your love nourishing my soul."

Jasper reached out, seizing her round face in his hands, "Nor can I. So we won't."

"We may still fail, Jazz."

"I know," Jasper answered solemnly, brushing his lips against her forehead, "But no matter what comes, we will be together. We swore it, from that day long ago."

Alice smiled weakly, "Impossibly and forever..."

"Hunt now?"

Alice nodded, "We're going to need it."

"Up for a friendly competition?" Jasper grinned.

"Are you betting against me? You know you'll lose."

Jasper shrugged, "I don't see any visions backing you up. Keep talking big."

"First one to bag two jaguars and make it back wins?"

Jasper chuckled, "On your mark... Get set...."

* * *

"You cheated," Jasper protested, playing at the sullen loser.

"Not my fault you dared to bet against me," Alice shrugged.

"I don't know why I bother."

"Because you love a good bet and there's no one else willing to accept one around us right now?" Alice suggested, smiling sweetly.

"I miss Emmett," Jasper sighed.

Just over the ridge ahead lay the waterfall, where the cool brown skin of the Amazon sisters blended in with the rich bark of the rubber trees stretching 200 feet above them, shading their farewells. Kachiri had done an admirable job in convincing her sisters to leave her behind, insisting that Alice had disappeared out of an upset over wishing to keep Kachiri back to assist her and not wanting to trouble them. Senna had dismissed any such notion, relieved that one of them would remain to watch over their friends, particularly in light of the tenuous peace in the south. Kachiri now placed a hand upon the shoulder of each of her coven mates, a slight nod of her head eliciting smiles from the two women.

"They say so much so silently," Alice whispered.

"A far cry from our house, isn't it?"

"No such thing as silence with Emmett nearby," Alice chuckled, "It's beautiful in its own way. But this is poetic... Like a dream..."

There were no words exchanged now, the sun hanging low in the sky, scant beams of brilliant light penetrating the rich foliage, illuminating the fiery orange Bombax blossoms to the west, casting a golden light upon the trio. Zafrina's hand reached for Kachiri's face, caressing it lightly with a single finger before brushing her thumb across her third eye. Senna pressed her hand to where her heart once beat, her palm drifting to her own lips, grazing the thin, worried smile before it moved to Kachiri's chest. The soothing lull of the water rushing down to meet the basin below lent an ethereal quality to the scene.

The Amazons turned slowly, Senna and Zafrina nodding to Alice and Jasper as Kachiri bounded towards them, her expression wistful. With a playful wink, she suddenly cartwheeled, springing into an airborne somersault before landing beside Jasper, jabbing his arm.

"Let our hunt begin," she announced, grinning.

They departed at a brisk pace, mindful of the potential of human interactions as they made their way towards the bustling core of Brazil. It was a mere twenty miles from its boundaries, Kachiri explained, that she had seen the female vampire whose actions and aroma seemed strange to her. On the way, Alice carefully explained how Renesmee had come to be, how her birth had nearly destroyed Bella and their lingering concerns for her lifespan. She then, with a mixture of regret and rage, related Irina's visit and her subsequent choice to seek out the Volturi. It was at this point that Kachiri's burgundy eyes bristled with anger, her fists clenching tightly as they moved.

"It is a disgrace to betray family. She has lost all sense of family, of honour."

"You have to understand her background and what happened to her mother during the purging of the immortal children-" Alice began, her averted eyes betraying her own half-belief in Irina's reasoning.

"No matter," Kachiri insisted, "She owed your family a chance to explain itself. Appearances deceive, Alice. We deceive mortals as a regular means of survival. But what's done is done. The Volturi are coming, then?"

"Yes. But this is only the excuse they are using; their actual intentions are far worse than merely doling out justice," Jasper interjected, leaping effortlessly over a fallen trunk.

"I have never trusted them. Power corrupts. You know this from the world of the material. And you believe the new army may be hybrids like the child?"

Alice nodded, "The Ticuna have legends of hybrid children, so we naturally thought to start here in our search. I know Aro's mind and his ways of reasoning. He will argue that a hybrid is a variable, an unknown like the immortal children and their unpredictable rages and thirst. But if we can find another hybrid and demonstrate what we can expect from Nessie, there will be no valid argument left."

"They may still seek to destroy you all. The Volturi do not enjoy being wrong, I sense."

"That's why we need witnesses... People who will stand and call them out. But the army seems to be the right path for our mission, and Nessie shares characteristics of this mystery female. Her smell is different – pleasant, but distinctly not human nor vampire. Her movements are not as swift as a vampire, although she certainly moves with more agility and speed than a mortal child. She consumes both blood and human food... Wait."

The group halted beneath the luminous moon above them, hovering above a seven foot gap in the canopy. Alice reached for Jasper's hand as the smell hit his nostrils, her reassuring squeeze instinctive.

Human blood.

It was drying, seeping into the rich black soil within two hundred feet of their location, spilled perhaps two hours ago. Kachiri's eyes scrutinized their surroundings, a recognition creeping across her pupils.

"The strange one... I saw her just to the east."

Alice checked her visions, both alarmed and elated when they clouded, the only image she could find being the three of them bent over a shallow hole in the earth, perhaps five feet long. She dashed quickly through the forest, dodging through the towering trees until a small clearing came into view. Invisible to a human eye, the freshly dug soil glistened with the moisture of the deeper layers of sediment disturbed by the mystery creature. She sensed a hesitation and turned to find Jasper hanging back, grimacing.

"The scent?" she asked softly.

"The stress and worry... Being at war...Old instincts."

Alice nodded, "I understand. Kachiri, help me?"

The mahogany-skinned woman came quickly to her aid, making short work of the shallow layer of mulch and soil, revealing the lifeless body of a fifteen year-old Latina woman, her eyes closed, the body still slightly warm to the touch. Her long black hair hung in limp curls about her bare shoulders, her white sarong torn and stained. Her hands were folded upon her chest, as if she were laid out for a viewing. It was too neat, too precise.

The crescents that shimmered upon the ashen flesh of the fresh corpse betrayed the cause of her death.

A gust of wind cut across the clearing, bringing with it a strangely sweet smell, one that reminded Alice of home. Her eyes widening, she scurried to her feet, kicking the dirt furiously, the body quickly disappearing from view. She looked to Jasper, who nodded, his eyes drifting north, the direction from which the wind had come.

"Is that the smell of the female you saw?" Alice asked.

Kachiri nodded, "Very similar, but not exact. Another of the army?"

"Whether or not it is, it's a smell we know well."

Kachiri gasped, "Your little Nessie?"

"Yes," Alice answered happily, "And I say we pay him or her a visit. Jazz?"

Jasper smiled, flexing his hands, "Let's go."


	12. Dead Draw

**_AN: Thank you to everyone who nominated this story, Down The Rabbit Hole and Disc Jockeys for the Indie TwiFic Awards. I am ecstatic to announce that Down The Rabbit Hole has made the finals for Best Canon (complete) and Best Characterizations (Non-Edward/Bella)(Complete). Voting starts soon and I would love your support! theindietwificawards dot com. I am in amazing company in the competition and many of the stories in other categories rock my soxxorz so read them all!_**

**_For a list of my reccs as well as previews and updates on all my stories, flip back on my blog at casket4mytears dot wordpress dot com_**

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**_Again, I love you all so very much. Please check out Deliratio, my new story if you haven't already. I'm very in love with it._**

**_This chapter is double the usual length so enjoy! REVIEW!_**

* * *

_Calgary, Alberta _

_March 1995_

Her thick dark waves tumbled through the harsh breeze, a dusting of snow drifting through the air as she dodged the students milling about campus. Her black full-length wool peacoat blended easily with the dozens of similar garments in the crowd, her tan skin equally common. She'd watched him for two weeks now, studying his habits and routines, analyzing patterns while drinking in sight of his lean muscles and nervous smile. Why he wasted his time here, buried in textbooks and tedium, she would never understand. This world was one made for the ordinary, the mundane and dreary people who overran the planet, diluting its potential with the failures of the species. He was extraordinary, above their pat explanations and intellectual endeavours. She simply needed to remind him.

He would be in the laboratory now, darting from Bunsen burners to test tubes, a kaleidoscope of chemicals arranged neatly in rows, patiently awaiting their chance to react. He, too, craved reaction, craved a collision with a molecule to which his very atoms were drawn to, the hydrogen to his oxygen. The liquid his body depended upon for survival. Her eyes widened, drinking in the petite strawberry blonde, her long hair pulled back in a loose braid, safety goggles dwarfing her tiny features. Her grey eyes frequently darted his way, quickly averting as a flush crept across her prominent cheekbones. Today, she wore a pale blue sweater and black slacks, the V-neck plunging between her pert breasts catching his eye.

Why did he deny himself?

She stepped backwards from the sliver of window, settling upon a worn block of wood representing itself as a bench across from the lab. She crossed her legs, her left foot swaying back and forth as she waited patiently for him. She would always wait for him. He was in her blood, now and forever.

* * *

The cell phone vibrated a fourth time as Jasper continued his practicum, a simplistic synthesis of aspirin that his professor believed 'somewhat challenging.' His mind began to drift, more concerned with the source of the persistent low buzzing than the chemicals he was handling. His gaze caught that of Elisabeth Willis, the strawberry blonde who'd fixated on him immediately in September, refusing to back down even as he'd professed himself engaged. It made for an intense class twice weekly, but the distraction of her off-putting lust carried him through the more pressing matter:

Elisabeth smelled particularly good.

He'd hunted almost daily, his will wavering with regards to the way of life his family maintained. Alice had suggested he drop the course, even drop out for a year to avoid her. Jasper had refused, resenting the thought that he was a vampiric equivalent of an impulsive toddler, requiring physical restraints to behave. Jasper desperately wanted – no, _needed_ – to prove he could remain on the proverbial wagon and be strong. He wanted his family to look at him with respect and pride, not pity.

He wanted to believe in himself.

Jasper carefully poured one test tube into another, a faint odorous smoke trailing into the air. He took his opportunity to breathe, his classmate's delicious smell of clover, cinnamon and salt diluted to a bearable level. This was a war, one he would win. He was a soldier in life and a soldier in immortality. Battles were nothing new. The battleground was all that had shifted.

A fifth vibration was his breaking point and he stripped off the thick protective gloves upon his hands, tossing them carefully onto the lab station. Withdrawing the chunky phone from his back pocket, he checked the number on the call display and winced, panic rising within.

It was Alice. Five times. She'd seen something.

_I need to leave class, immediately_, Jasper concluded. He slowly raised his hand, gesturing to Professor Allen, the small bespectacled man with the silvered sable hair nodding and excusing himself from a pair of students struggling with their project. Jasper immediately went to work on the teacher's emotions while allowing his eyes to hang half-closed, his features sagging.

"Yes, Mr. Hale?"

"Sir, I've been feeling a little off all day, and my stomach is turning violently. I'm terribly sorry, but I think I should go home and rest. I'd hate to spread any sort of flu to the students."

Professor Allen nodded sympathetically, "That will be fine. Feel free to stop in later this week and make up the time. If you like, I can tend to the tidying up here for you."

Jasper feigned a grimace, coupled with a weak smile, "Thank you, sir. I'll see you soon."

Swiping casually at the navy blue backpack underneath his station, Jasper slowly tucked his notebook and pen inside, touching his stomach once to emphasize his story, With a pained expression, he seized the worn silver doorknob and pushed his way out of the lab, his hand moving immediately to his phone to check his messages.

"From a soldier to a scientist? I thought higher of you."

Jasper's jaw fell open as he looked up, his body tensing at the petite brunette before him, dark glasses shielding her eyes from sight. Her smile widened as she devoured him with her hungry gaze, her tiny hands reaching for his. He swallowed hard, memories flooding over him of blood and death. Venom pooled in his throat as the burn for Elisabeth Willis, age 21 and a native of Edmonton, Alberta, intensified with the vivid images of slaughters past floating through his mind.

"Maria," he whispered.

"Shall we take a walk? We have much to catch up on."

"What are you doing here?" Jasper hissed.

"I could ask the same of you. You were made for a world far less mundane than silly chemicals colliding. This is beneath you, beneath your talents. You waste your gifts. You waste energy, turning from your nature."

"It isn't in my nature to destroy," Jasper replied testily, storming down the corridor towards a set of double doors that spilled into a campus courtyard.

Maria followed closely, her voice a whisper only his keen hearing would detect, "You were made to fight, to win. Why do you submit to the humans, to their laws?"

"Because this is the life I was meant for, with Alice."

"If you're meant for it, why do you struggle not to kill them? I've watched you for weeks. You spend your days in anguish, denying your hunger," Maria countered, trailing him into the courtyard, the heels of her boots clicking along the pavement in a staccato.

"Because I was made for _her_, Maria. Again, I ask you: why have you come this far north?"

Maria hesitated, keeping pace with his brisk walk as they crossed into the student parking lot, "Because I need you, Jasper. The wars rage on, but I have never been as strong as I was in your time. There was one, a veteran of Vietnam. He was in San Diego, wandering, lost in his visions of Charlie and the blood that spattered on his uniform as he fired his shots. His love of the kill had been so honed, so much a part of his life that when he returned home he was no longer a man with a wife and two children. He was a piece of a different puzzle. I kept him for twelve years, until his lust for blood made him a liability. He had your sense of the tactical, but never your presence."

Jasper halted, his eyes flashing with rage, "You wanted to kill me during the last year of my time with you. Now you want to act as if I am a dear friend who owes you some sort of allegiance?"

"I made you," Maria hissed.

"You took my mortality. You did not make me anything but utterly miserable. The only gratitude I have for you is for giving me this immortal existence, which brought me to a woman who nurtures my soul and brings out the best in me. I wish you well, Maria, but I would never begin to consider a return to petty wars over innocent human lives."

Maria opened her mouth to speak but found herself drowned out in the wake of a BMW careening into the parking lot, swinging in a wide circle and drawing to a halt beside Jasper. The driver's side door swung open with tremendous force, the hinge straining under the pressure, and a tiny woman in a cornflower parka stormed towards them, her amber eyes narrowed. Maria snarled, stepping back from Jasper's side. _And here comes this creature who enslaves this man of power_.

"Get the HELL away from him!" Alice shouted, the contrast of her fierce delivery and delicate soprano almost comical.

"Alice, I presume?" Maria asked demurely.

"Alice, was this why-?"

"Yes, Jazz, among other things," Alice snapped, her fury carrying her forward until she was toe to toe with the other female, a low growl bubbling up in her throat, "Just what the hell gives you the right to interfere this way?"

"I've known him for far longer than you, little girl," Maria whispered, "I let him be himself. You imprison him here, in this falsehood."

A resounding _slap_ filled Jasper's ears as Alice belted Maria, the coffee-skinned vampire's head spinning quickly to the right. Alice's body shook with such an intense rage that Jasper's senses flooded, his head bowing in agony. Alice was someone who didn't anger easily; she simply loved life too much to allow minor things to hold her down. But _this_ Alice was consumed by the flames of a fury that licked her feet, a rage from the depths of hell itself.

"You imprisoned him in your sick power fetish, you smug, self-satisfied bitch," Alice growled, "I don't make him do anything. He's always been free to leave me. Jazz, the door is open," she continued, her voice softening as she turned to her husband, "Do you want to leave?"

"Never!" Jasper roared, "For the last time Maria, I'm not interested. I will never be interested in that life again. I think it would be best if you leave and not return... EVER."

"If that's what you want... for now," Maria said softly, a smirk upon her face, "But you and I both know your true nature."

Maria spun on her heel, taking a few steps forward before pausing, her head cocked to one side. With a giggle, she turned back, blowing a kiss at Jasper, laughing harder as he struggled to restrain an incensed Alice. Shaking her head, she briskly crossed the courtyard, her nondescript clothing quickly blending into the masses of students on their way to class. Alice kicked at Jasper's shins, her hands clawing at the arms pinning her to his chest.

"Let me go!" Alice snarled.

"Not on campus, Alice. People will look. They already are," Jasper whispered, holding her tighter, "She's gone. It's okay."

"No, it's not okay! This is just the beginning..."

Jasper frowned, spinning Alice around to face him, his grip on her waist still firm, "What do you mean?"

Alice sobbed tearlessly, "No..."

"Alice?" Jasper asked softening his voice, "Please tell me what you saw."

Alice shook her head, "Not... Not here. Take me home, Jazz?"

Jasper nodded, planting kisses on Alice's cheeks and forehead, "Of course, love."

Her hand reached for his, her hand gripping his tightly, her head hung low. The tumultuous emotions pouring from her soul were twisting into a sweeping sorrow, the trembling of her limbs subsiding. Together they walked slowly to the BMW, Jasper struggling to ignore the haunting echo of Maria's words, looping on repeat as he glanced at Alice's shattered visage.

"_If you're meant for it, why do you struggle not to kill them?_"

* * *

_Three Days Later_

The two women laughed as they spilled from the library, their books tucked neatly under their arms, coffee cups in hand. The taller woman, her hair a mass of mousy brown curls that spilled haphazardly over her leather jacket, was in a fit of uncontrollable laughter as they crossed the soccer field, taking a shortcut to their residence dorm.

"The... He... In a LIBRARY?!" she gasped, her face flushed.

The petite strawberry blonde shook her head, her face a mixture of disgust and disappointment, "He seems so... decent in Shakespeare class. I kinda thought he liked me."

"Maybe he does! But I bet on the first date, he'd be all, 'Hey baby, let's go study for pre-med... Mind if I practice my exams on you?' I can't believe it!"

"Hayley, you'll give me nightmares!" her friend admonished, "Who the hell does something like that to get off? I dread that damn exam!"

"Oh Beth.... There's a big, wide world of kink out there, love. And much of it would probably terrify your vanilla ass."

Elisabeth shook her head, "I'm not _that_ innocent!"

Hayley raised an eyebrow, taking a quick swig of coffee, "Oh really?"

Elisabeth blushed, averting her gaze, "You remember I was a cheerleader in high school, right?"

Hayley's eyes widened, "You role-playing slut!"

"I also have the nurse get-up, courtesy of Adrian..."

Hayley beamed, throwing her arm around Elisabeth's shoulders and hugging her, "There's hope for you yet, my dear friend. All we need is to find you a man."

"One whose idea of a good time doesn't involve a speculum?" Elisabeth added, shuddering.

"Yes, yes," Hayley replied, pausing at the steps of the dorm to toss her coffee cup in the trash, "Study tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, please. This Calculus exam is going to be the death of my GPA."

"Meet you at nine, then. Sleep tight!" Hayley said, hugging her once more before continuing on to the sorority house down the block.

Elisabeth watched Hayley as she made her way along the worn pavement, her hair fluttering as a faint breeze picked up, stirring the light snow of last night's flurries into tiny whirlwinds that danced around her tall black boots. Satisfied with Hayley reaching her front door, she spun quickly, jogging up the stairs with her key in hand. Unlocking the main entryway, she slipped inside, checking routinely for anyone hovering in the overgrown gardens flanking the female dormitory.

"Coast is clear," Elisabeth murmured to herself, making her way down the hall to her ground level unit.

Her boots thudded softly against the worn grey carpet that Elisabeth assumed was once white, her keys jangling softly, the sound reminiscent of the wind chimes at her parents' house. She hummed softly to herself as she walked, forcing the image from the study room as far from her mind as possible. _Ugh! If that's what passes for exciting sex these days, give me the vanilla_, Elisabeth thought, juggling her textbooks into her left hand as she reached the plain door to her single room. Unlocking the door and stepping inside, Elisabeth set her books down on the desk beside the entry, shivering as she locked it behind her. _Jesus, is the heat out?_ Elisabeth protested inwardly, rubbing her hands together as she made her way across the room to check the radiator. Her foot caught on the floor and she stumbled, her hand seizing the desk to break her fall, a sharp pain crawling up her forearm.

"Damn it!" she grumbled, pressing herself slowly back to a standing position.

It was then that she realized why she was cold: her window was wide open.

A lump immediately formed in Elisabeth's throat as fear crept in. _It's winter. I don't ever open my window in the cold. I know I didn't open the window. WHO OPENED MY WINDOW?_ With a soft whimper, she stepped backwards, edging for her door, her hand fumbling towards the desk in search of her cordless phone. Her fingertips grazed papers, notebooks, what felt like a tube of lipstick, pens... No phone. She made it to the door, her heart pounding against the delicate hollow of her ribcage. Her hand reached down, twisting the door knob slowly, her back to her escape route as her eyes searched the darkness for motion. Pulling the door open halfway, Elisabeth stumbled out into the hall – and found a hand clamping over her mouth tightly, a sharp object jabbing into her back.

"Be very quiet, or I'll kill you, " a melodic voice whispered angrily, "Do you understand me?"

Elisabeth nodded, sobbing into the soft skin of her captor's palm. She struggled, testing her attacker's strength, finding her efforts rewarded with a sharp punch to her kidney. Elisabeth buckled, her legs giving way as white hot pain rolled over her, leaving her blind to the route her attacker chose as they moved down the hallway, the knife digging into the flesh of her lower back through her bomber jacket. The air grew crisp as she was dragged out into the snow, another shot to her kidney sending her crumpling to the earth, her face connecting with the icy surface below. There was a sudden piercing of her arm, a tiny wound, and then a warm wave rolled over her. Her eyes were heavy, her thoughts slower, her body too heavy to move. _A drug_, she concluded, struggling to remain alert, _He's drugged me_...

It was her last thought before slipping into a deep state of unconsciousness, her assailant standing over her, laughing softly.

* * *

"Alice, this is getting ridiculous. It has to stop."

"But the vision-"

"I'm at home, with _you_! How exactly am I about to run off without you noticing and kill a young girl?" Jasper snapped, storming up the stairs of the Cullen home.

"Jazz, the vision isn't changing! You know I'm just looking out for you. I know you have a harder time-"

Jasper froze on the stairs, pivoting to glare at the tiny woman pursuing him, "Oh yes, that's right. 'Poor Jasper, can't seem to stop treating society as a buffet! He's just not as strong as us!' I'm not a toddler. I don't need or want a baby-sitter! I want my _wife_-"

"You have her," Alice interrupted, stung by his words.

"As I was saying, I want my _wife_ to have faith in me and let me ask for help if and when I need it!"

"Jazz!"

Alice felt a hand clamp down upon her shoulder as Jasper flew upstairs, retreating to their bedroom and slamming the door. She turned and found Edward standing behind her, shaking his head subtly.

_Edward, you know what I see_.

"I do. But I know how he sees it."

_I do believe he can resist. He's stronger than he thinks. But his course is still set, and the fall-out of a classmate dying would be huge. You know it. Carlisle knows it. We all do. And Jasper will be so upset if he fails_.

"Maybe you should prove that's how you feel," Edward suggested, wrapping his arms around his diminutive sister and squeezing gently.

_He won't listen to me. I've tried to explain that I don't think it would be conscious_ -

"Try harder," Edward insisted, eliciting a snarl from Alice.

_It's not just the girl. It's our unwelcome visitor_.

Edward nodded, "You think she may have something to do with it?"

_We should rip her apart now, before she has a chance to venture anywhere near him again. That twisted, manipulative, power-hungry_ -

"Yes, let's take on the head of an army. Wise. He'd never listen to her, anyway. He will, however, listen to you if you choose your words carefully, Alice," Edward concluded, reaching out to tussle Alice's short hair, "Am I right?"

_I'm afraid to check_.

Edward shook his head, leaving Alice leaning against the handrail, her right hand toying with the wedding band on the left, "Now you know how the rest of us feel, taking chances and risking what we hold dear. Go to him."

Alice sighed, forcing a weak smile at Edward as he slipped into the living room, her eyes closing as he struck the keys of the upright piano within. It was a song he'd composed specifically for her, a delicate melody reminiscent of the way stars danced and twinkled in the deep indigo of a midnight sky. Edward had said it captured the way Alice moved among them, dainty and full of light; he seldom played it without request or occasion. Her hand clutching the railing, she made her way slowly up the carpeted steps, hesitant and uncertain of how to convince Jasper of her faith in his inner strength. While she was expressive - unabashedly so - Jasper had always been one to suffer in silence; this, in turn, left her flying somewhat blind in soothing him. She had to trust that their bond – as complex and powerful as it was – would hold under the weight of the turmoil of the last few days.

Rounding to the left as she reached the second floor, Alice hovered outside the closed door, her fingertips absently tracing the ridges of the wood. _Do I knock?_ Smoothing the cream cardigan she wore over her favourite ice blue camisole, Alice raised her fist, stopping short and gasping as the door swung open, revealing a pained Jasper.

"Didn't see that coming?" Jasper asked softly.

"Didn't look."

Jasper shrugged, stepping aside, "Too busy looking for other things?"

Alice sighed, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it, "Jazz, I'm sorry-"

"I know."

He turned from her, crossing the large room to their large wrought-iron bed, stretching out on the thick black comforter. Alice winced at the sight, her heart breaking at his defeated expression. _He truly believes I have no confidence in him. What have I done_? Alice remained against the door, uncertain whether approaching him now would only be the catalyst for a new, perhaps more explosive reaction, possibly sending him out of the house and into some sort of psychological trap designed by the murderous hand of the vampire who made him.

"I do believe in you," Alice whispered, "I do. I haven't seen you kill the girl. I just know you're there, for whatever reason."

"I kill her. How could it not be so? I've struggled with not pressing her neck to my lips and draining her essence from the first day of classes. Of course I would fail."

"Jazz, please listen. I think maybe-"

Jasper raised his head, his eyes mournful, "She has a younger brother. He's ten. She works with the homeless every summer. The world needs more humans like her."

Alice edged forward, shaking her head furiously, "If you believe you'll do it, that there's no other course, then it will come to be! But it doesn't _have_ to be! I think Maria-"

"Is right. I'm not made for this life. If I were, this would not be the struggle that it is," Jasper concluded sadly, "I'm a liability to this family."

It was reflex, an instinctive reaction to his words: Alice sprung into the air, landing on the bed behind Jasper, where she yanked him onto his back, straddling his hips. Her face hovered above his own, her nose pressed to his as her hands tangled in his dishevelled curls.

"Stop that! Stop! That vile bitch was right about one thing in her existence, and one thing alone. You're special, Jasper. You're an incredible example of a man, one who was devoted to protecting his home and loved ones as a mortal, and one who is the epitome of unconditional love and loyalty now. You struggle moreso than the rest of us because of what she did to you! She abused you, manipulated your mind to believe in her lie. Jazz, please, listen to me. Do you love me?"

Jasper nodded furiously, his body trembling beneath her.

"I love you, Jazz. You are all I have that keeps me true to the life I want to lead, the ideals I wish to uphold. It was your face – your warm, understanding face – that comforted me as I yearned for the blood of humans, lusted for the feel of a warm throat underneath my lips. When there was nothing but loneliness, it would fade when I would think of how much love I knew you would have for me. When I wandered this continent, my mind empty of all sense of history, you held a place for me in time, a milestone to come that would eventually defined my true birth as a woman. I have faith in you – have always had faith in you. You were all I had to believe in for so many years. I hover now, not out of fear that you will simply break, but fear of what – or who – might force you to that point. I just want to protect you, as you protect me. Do you understand?"

Her plaintive plea was met by his lips crushing against hers, his arms winding around her back and pulling her closer to his chest. Alice's lips parted, her tongue meeting his in a frenzied dance as Jasper rolled, her ankles locking behind his waist as he lay upon her. Her hands roamed his back, fingernails digging in as their kiss deepened, his hand running along her torso, sliding underneath the camisole, cupping her breast. A guttural moan lingered in her throat as he broke away from her hungry mouth, his lips trailing kisses along her collarbone, his tongue darting out to taste her porcelain flesh.

"I'm so sorry Alice," he whispered, his voice hoarse and muffled against her skin.

"I'm the sorry one," Alice rebutted, her right hand reaching out to graze his cheekbone.

He pulled back suddenly, his eyes locked upon hers, "Do you really think Maria-?"

"Would kill her? She watched you for a while, or so she said. She would know Elisabeth stood out for you."

Jasper's face fell, "I'm going to get her killed, with or without my teeth shedding her blood."

"We can stop it," Alice insisted, smoothing his messy hair, "We can do it."

"She has an army."

"So everyone keeps reminding me. There is no army with enough power to thwart me when it comes to you."

Jasper chuckled, pressing his lips to her nose, "Alice, you're tough, but don't you think-"

On the bedside table, Jasper's cell phone began to vibrate.

"Who....?"

"No one has that number outside family, except the school," Jasper whispered.

His hand shot out, flipping the phone open and pressing it to his ear. Alice leaned closer to him, listening for the voice on the other end.

"Hello?"

"University of Calgary should really invest in a more secure file system," trilled a familiar voice.

"Maria," Jasper snarled, "I told you to leave me alone."

Alice snarled, her fists clenching tight. From downstairs, the piano halted abruptly, footsteps soon pounding upon the spiral staircase. _Edward knows_. Jasper's hand rubbed circles upon her back as Maria continued, the amusement in her voice shaking Alice to her core.

"I have a present for you, old friend. A gift before departure. Surely you are permitted gifts?"

The door slammed open, Edward's teeth bared, his breathing rapid. Alice pressed her finger to her lips, pleading for silence. _She doesn't realize I'm listening Edward_. Edward nodded, his grip on their door frame splintering the oak.

"I neither want nor need a gift from you, Maria. I've asked you nicely, on the basis of our old alliance, to depart and not return. I'm now demanding it. Leave Canada and return to Monterrey."

"Soon, solider. Soon. But first, a little science experiment. I have a – what is the word? - _hypothesis_ I wish to test."

"I don't care-"

"Come to your precious lab."

The line went dead.

"You should have let me kill her in the parking lot," Alice spat out, leaping to her feet.

"We'll kill her now," Edward stated, his dark eyes wide with rage.

"No! You'll only start a war-"

"She's already started one!" Alice snapped, "And now, we finish it!"

Jasper rose to his feet, his voice thundering through the house, "We will NOT stoop to her level! I will not live by her rules, Alice, not now, not ever! A battle is what she wants."

From behind Edward, Carlisle and Esme emerged, their confusion apparent, "What's going on, Jasper?"

"Maria," Alice replied testily, "She's done something. I think she's kidnapped the girl in Jasper's chemistry class."

Esme gasped, "Oh no! You think this is how-?"

"Yes," Alice answered softly, "The vision will play out. It hasn't changed."

"It won't if I don't go," Jasper interjected, "I can't kill anyone if I don't go to her."

"We can't allow an innocent human to be harmed," Carlisle insisted, "We'll have to take some form of action. But Jasper can remain here while we attend to it."

"I'm all in favour of action," Alice snarled.

"No! You're not going to risk it," Jasper pleaded.

"Carlisle's right; we can't let the girl die," Edward agreed.

"You don't know Maria; I do. Even outnumbered, she's formidable-"

"As are we," Edward interrupted.

"Not enough! And what if she's brought a few of her pets? Newborns? You all mean well, but you simply do not have the experience I have with Maria and that kind of fight. And what about Alice's vision?"

Carlisle nodded, "Maybe we should contact Denali."

"NO! I will not jeopardize our family for this. I've changed my mind; I'll go to meet her."

Alice shook her head, throwing her arms around Jasper, "No! You're giving her what she wants."

"I _have_ to do this. I haven't spent this long suffering and struggling to keep Elisabeth alive to watch Maria snuff her out. This is a battle I have to face."

Alice pressed herself onto her tiptoes, her lips grazing his, "Fine. But you're not going alone."

* * *

By day, the campus was vibrant, alike with colour and sound as students rushed from class to class, milling about in clusters of chattering bodies. By night, however, its silence and minimal lighting gave the old buildings comprising the school a haunted feeling. As Jasper, Carlisle and Alice made their way across campus, Jasper was uneasy. Dim lights, more to dissuade would-be criminals, lent an eerie Jack-O-Lantern glow to the stone and brick structures, the sinister feel compounded by the skeletal trees lining the main walkways. As they rapidly approached Science Building A, where his chemistry class met twice a week, Jasper felt himself begin to shake. Alice's vision had yet to change; she continued to see him standing over the lifeless body of Elisabeth Willis, his face twisted in agony. This mission would be in vain.

"It's that one over there," he whispered, gesturing to their left.

The main door to the Science Building was unlocked, the door slightly ajar. Pulling it open, Alice gestured to the small piece of metal jammed into the door's locking system to prevent it from truly securing. Maria had thought this through very carefully, diminishing Jasper's hopes further. If Maria had taken the time to prepare for this meeting by ensuring access without obvious disturbances or broken windows, she'd prepared for any possible course of action. He took the lead, Alice right behind him, her breathing rapid and shallow. The anger she felt only served to intensify his own fiery feelings. Who was Maria, to walk back into his world after so long, particularly after she'd plotted his demise, growing tired of his mood swings in their final years at war? What made him so crucial to her plans for domination? And what sort of game was she playing here? What was her 'hypothesis' and more importantly, how could he prove her wrong?

He drew to a halt outside the lab, his hand frozen upon the worn silver knob. He looked to Alice, who nodded slightly, her hand reaching out to his chest, her palm where his heart once pulsed with life, as did the heart within the room. A familiar scent lingered outside the lab, confirming their fears for Elisabeth's safety. Carlisle was to remain in the hall, a second line of offense should Maria bolt with the girl as well as a doctor at the ready to tend wounds. Forcing himself forward, he turned the knob, throwing open the door.

The warm brown of Maria's skin stood in sharp relief to the white dress she wore, a simple flared skirt and plunging V-neck the only embellishments. Her hair was unkempt, wild waves splayed across her back and shoulders as she stood, arms akimbo, presiding over her 'gift': a bound and gagged Elisabeth Willis. Jasper was grateful that she was unconscious, her breathing slow but steady.

Alice's hand met with his back, a gentle reassurance. Jasper fixed his gaze upon Maria, who shook her head slowly, a cruel smile crossing her plump lips as she stepped closer to Elisabeth's slumbering body.

"I do not recall inviting her," Maria began, her burgundy eyes narrow slits.

"Where I am, my wife is," Jasper replied, forcing himself to remain calm, "And I recall asking you to keep your distance in the future. Looks like neither of us is adept at listening."

"That's fine; there's plenty for all. Tell me, Scientist: when an addict is presented with the drug he craves, how well might he resist? Does he surrender immediately, or will he fight it?"

"If he's strong, he fights," Jasper continued, edging closer.

Maria chuckled, her small hand reaching out to stroke Elisabeth's hair in an almost loving fashion. Alice hissed from behind him, repulsed at the sight. Jasper was more concerned with the disturbing sense of playfulness radiating from within Maria. She truly viewed this as a game, as something _fun_. From his experience, Maria's idea of fun was sadistic.

Elisabeth was in grave danger.

"I suppose the stronger addicts do fight. But I have a hypothesis, one I believe you will prove for me tonight. Even addicts have their limits. Shall we test yours?"

There was a lightning-quick flash of light, a slight stirring of air in the room that only the keen senses of a vampire would detect, and then, Jasper's nightmare came true.

Blood. Elisabeth's tempting, vibrant, sweetly-scented blood.

It poured from her neck, a thin slash across the jugular from the scalpel Maria held in her hand, her smile wide as she licked the gleaming blade clean. A soft gurgle slipped from Elisabeth's lips, her neck lolling to the side, parting the seams of the wound and setting loose a river of red. Jasper felt his body tense, his throat burning with thirst, venom pooling in his mouth. He ground his teeth together, his hand reaching for Alice's. He could feel her own struggle not to attack, not to drink freely at the fountain before them. The blood pulsed free, spilling down the pale blue of Elisabeth's sweater, seeping into the cotton.

"Thirsty? I am..."

Maria ran her tongue along the wide slit in Elisabeth's throat, lapping at the warmth, her lips stained crimson as she withdrew, continuing to toy with the helpless girl's hair, twirling it about her tiny fingers. Alice shuddered, her voice caught in her throat.

"Carlisle," she managed to gasp.

Jasper's mind flooded with the scent of Elisabeth, with images of him, bent over her svelte frame, his hands clutching her head to him, a talisman. He could taste her blood, taste the salty warmth, taste the _power_ of it as it poured down his throat, coating it in thick richness, He wanted to taste it. He wanted to feel the way her body yielded as he sucked at her veins, feel her crumple to the ground, a hollow shell, drained. In this moment, Jasper wanted to consume her more than any other in his immortal life. Maria edged forward, dragging the body closer. The metallic glint in the air grew stronger, strangling his will. Jasper forced himself not to inhale, pressing Alice further back. _She won't give in. I fail. She won't fail_. In the hall, he could hear the sound of footsteps approaching, delicate landings of soft-soled shoes.

"Come now, Jasper; don't you like your present? I know she's been on your wish list."

"No," Jasper whispered, averting his eyes from the beckoning chalice of Elisabeth's throat.

"Just a taste?"

Maria ran her finger along the wound, the young woman's skin growing pale as she dangled the bloody digit before Jasper. Withdrawing a test tube from between her breasts, Maria captured Elisabeth's blood within it, holding it out to Jasper with a sly smile. Alice tugged him closer to her, struggling to place herself in the way. Jasper resisted, repulsed yet riveted to Maria's offering. He shook his head, shoving Alice backwards, towards the door to the lab. _Edward! If you're there, I need Carlisle_!

"Much better. Let's not share with her," Maria purred.

Jasper snarled, his body shuddering as he struggled to remain firm, to edge away, to not lean in and just _sink my teeth into that beautiful throat and drink her, devour her. I'm doomed to fail; why try? Why not just give in? Maria's surely killed her anyway. Carlisle can't even save her now_. His blood lust bordered on arousal, so intense was his craving, his _need _for this mortal girls' blood. Maria thrust the girl into his arms, laughing as his arms reflexively pushed her back, letting her crumple to the earth,

A crash jarred him from the scene, bodies flying in all directions. There was a shattering of glass, tiny shards dispersing and glinting under the harsh fluorescent lights overhead as Edward pinned Maria to the floor, his hand upon her throat. Carlisle appeared at Jasper's feet, his hand upon Jasper's chest as he leaned over Elisabeth, listening for her breathing.

"Back up, Jasper. I have her," Carlisle whispered reassuringly.

Jasper remained motionless, sounds muffled and distorted as the scene played out in a strange pantomime: Alice joined Edward, the two of them struggling with the hissing Latina as she attempted to flee. Edward's strong arm caught her in a clothesline, tackling her to the ground as Alice lunged for her face, seizing her long hair and slamming her head into the cold tiles of the floor. Jasper closed his eyes, his senses flooding as he mistakenly inhaled, the intoxicating cinnamon and rust of Elisabeth's blood all around him. _Just a taste.... Just one_.

Jasper's eyes squinted open as Maria broke free, throwing herself through the lab window onto the snowy ground beyond. Edward began to give chase, Alice shouting at him in a language that seemed foreign to him now. There was but one language he understood now: predator. His eyes scanned the body before him, Carlisle working frantically to staunch her bleeding, his fingers pressed to her bloody throat, checking for a pulse. Jasper listened carefully, unable to hear the once strong and steady beat of the co-ed's heart.

"Jasper! Go!" Carlisle ordered.

Alice was at his side now, her hands tugging urgently at his arm, begging him to leave with her. Edward paced outside the building, incensed at Alice's demand he not pursue. Jasper gazed down at the broken body at his feet, and in that moment, his sense of humanity returned. Elisabeth's brother would never play street hockey with his sister again. The homeless shelter would be short a set of hands for their Christmas dinner. The world would no longer have the light of Elisabeth Willis, age 21, a student at the University of Calgary.

Jasper's face contorted, a silent scream as he wrapped his arms around his frame, as if restraining the monster within that now receded in defeat. _She didn't deserve this. She died because of me_. Alice's arms wrapped around his waist, her face pressed to his back, her body trembling against his.

"Carlisle's going to keep working," she whispered, "Let's go outside."

"My fault," Jasper mumbled.

"This wasn't your fault," Carlisle countered, beginning chest compressions, "You resisted in the face of a great temptation. I'm proud of you, son. Incredibly proud."

Jasper sighed, shaking his head as he turned towards Alice, "Maria was being true to her nature. She acted in the only way she knows. But I froze... She died because of me. I _watched_ Elisabeth die."

"But you didn't give in," Alice replied, taking his hand, "You didn't drink."

"I wanted to."

"We all did," Alice countered, tugging him towards the lab door, "Except Carlisle, but he's Zen."

Jasper allowed himself to be led to the laboratory door, hesitating and glancing back one final time at the lifeless woman on the floor. He winced, his eyes slamming shut as Alice drew him closer to her, whispering assurances and love against his chest. Elisabeth's voice haunted him now, her delicate soprano echoing his name, asking him for homework, for a coffee date. She would be one more victim he would carry with him, one more soul that would torment him for as long as he existed. He would not forget her, not ever. Every time he craved a human's blood, he would picture the soft strawberry blonde hair that gathered at the nape of her neck, the green eyes that laughed at their professor's corny jokes.

Her death would not be in vain.


	13. Pinned

_**AN: **_

_**It's been a while, and for that, I apologize. I've been struggling a lot with this story, and I very much hate to force my writing. It's not a matter of knowing where I'm going; it's a matter of how I want to bring you all to the parts I've been chomping at the bit to write. **_

_**This chapter is an intro/transition sort of chapter, but it sets up the next two in key ways. A flashback is coming soon, a very cool one in my mind. I also have two other multis on the go right now (Deliratio, which is now a featured story, and Tattoos Like Mile Markers, currently not available on Twilighted), and I've been more on a roll with them. **_

_**Thanks as always to my beta sarawithouttheh, who talked me out of throwing this whole thing in the recycle bin in frustration. Huge thanks to everyone who's ever reviewed this story. **_

_**For updates on the status of new chapters, teasers and other goodies, my Twitter will link you to that information. Follow me: casket4myfanfic**_

_**As always, Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight; I simply borrow her chess pieces for my games.**_

* * *

She picked her pathway carefully between the towering trees and creeping vines, nodding with respect to that which lived long before she, that which would outlive even her. Her ancestors had chosen this land as their home centuries ago, a fertile provider of plant and animal life upon which they sustained themselves, more rich than those of Chile, from whence her people had been driven. Mindful of each echo of their choices, they'd learned the art of balance, of respecting life's circle of rebirth. She, too, minded that cycle as she hunted, preying on what was abundant, on what could be spared. The spirits of the animals called to her, the last of the Machi, guiding each slash, each drop of blood spilled, their power in her limbs.

Crouching down beneath the brush of the rich green plumage flanking a cluster of trees, she waited patiently, one with the mighty jungle cats. She had their scent, could feel their footprints. They would pass by in twenty minutes, perhaps less. They would struggle and protest, their primal cries echoing the sorrow of the Earth Mother's rage at her disrespectful children. They would fall, all the same. Her weapons were primitive but highly effective; there would be no surviving her.

The wind shifted course, running to the north, and her body grew taut with apprehension. _Who is that?_ Inhaling deeply, she could make out at least two distinctive scents, neither of which were familiar. _Predators_, she concluded, _Danger_. A stray tendril of mahogany hair fluttered against her cheek bone and she shivered involuntarily at the threat. She did not fear death; mortality was no enemy to a hunter as great as she. What she feared was change, unknown variables acting upon her life and its happiness. What did this mysterious 'they' want from her home? The smell of death was upon them, their movements rapid, quicksilver. _Kalku?_ she wondered, dismissing it immediately. They did not venture here with their ghosts, with their mighty creatures under their vicious sway.

_Listen_, the animals whispered.

Her hand pressed to the ground, her brow furrowing as the intruders' approach accelerated. They were a scant few miles away and gaining rapidly, their course carrying them to the rich greenery and moist dirt upon which she stood. Her ears listened for any sign of her kin, but found none.

_Run. Hide. They will kill you._

She broke into a gallop, her strides long as she cut through the swath of low hanging brush and vine, her feet so light she scarcely left a trail. The leather hide of her clothing fit like a glove, molded to her petite frame as her fluid leaps and dodges carried her home, to the sanctuary of her kin. She would fight these predators, if need be, but on her terms. She dared them in her mind to try, dared them to challenge her.

She would win.

* * *

He sat tall, back pressed against the broad trunk of the Abiu tree, thirty feet above the earth. To either side of him hung bright yellow orbs, the fruits of the Abiu ripe and ready for consumption. He clutched one in his broad hand, his dark flesh in sharp relief to the luminous light of the sphere, a fitting metaphor for his feelings. His kin would be displeased with his ruminations this day, but there was no refuge from the reality of memories so sharp, memories that cut through the delicate fabric of the man he attempted to be.

She would chastise him, as she had done so many times before. '_We have a role, a place in the great cycle_,' she would say softly, '_We are predators. We hunt, we kill. But that which we kill feeds the earth, giving rise to new life. We must eat_.' But what of one who destroys the nurturer, that which matters? This was his perpetual argument, to which she would say, '_The spirits choose when they will take us. The Kalku laid their weapons upon her the moment that man saw her face. That is not your burden_.' And yet, it weighed upon him, his very self mired in the murky water of responsibility. As much as he loved the petite woman and valued her unwavering affection, her resistance to the truth he knew deep within often left him seething, longing to leave their home and find another, a place where he could suffer as he deserved. But to leave her would pain her, moreso than each moment of his past darkness, and therein lay his dilemma.

"Hunt with me, boy. You hunger," she'd said an hour ago.

"I need nothing. I am full. You hunt, if you wish," he'd replied, absently casting stones into the river.

"You cannot lie to me, my child. The raven sees through us all, and he sees through you. You must choose a life of joy, eke it out among the burrows and waters. This is what life is: it is persisting in the face of the greatest resistance. Come, hunt."

"I'm tired of being a killer," he'd grumbled, rising to his feet, "Our lives are death. Our existence breeds destruction and decay. It is what I bring, in each of my footsteps upon the brown earth. You hunt. I need nothing."

"We are made to hunt and be hunted. You look weary," she'd insisted, "Come."

He'd leaped into the Abiu tree, plucking a solitary fruit from a limb, "Here is my food."

She'd finally left him alone, knowing that he was serpentine, coiled and ready to lash out with his fangs. Alone was how he preferred his time when these moods rolled over him like thunder clouds, grey and pregnant with nature's tears. The wind shifted around him, the leaves rustling, and he closed his eyes, inhaling the smells brought forth with the invisible force.

His eyes flew wide open. _What's this_?

Several scents greeted him, many of the natural vegetation of the Amazon, guava and chlorophyll and the musk of the jungle cats. He could smell her, the scent of tigerlily and sage, distant but within easy reach if he were to run. And then, there were the other scents, the intoxicating vanilla and a richer scent, not musk but something else, something unknown... _More of them? He would not dare strike again..._ His body tensed as he listened for an approach, hearing faint voices in the distance.

"_We always fight on our terms, my boy. We always bring them where we are strongest_ ."

If she were in trouble, she would be returning to their camp near the river. Tossing the bright yellow fruit aside, he swung to the earth, breaking into a run and crossed the river with a gracile jump, circling wide to flank her downstream from behind. Enough blood had been shed on his accord. No more of his kin would suffer, not as long as he lived.

* * *

"Which way?"

Alice frowned, grinding to a halt, her pale blue dress swaying in the wind, "I think further north from here."

"The river lies that way," Kachiri mused, her eyes scanning their surroundings for signs of the mysterious hybrid.

Jasper hesitated, inhaling deeply, "We're not alone. There's another of us. Could it be a trap?"

Alice pondered this a moment, allowing her visions to run through her mind. She could still see the Volturi arriving in Forks, perhaps in a week, and nothing beyond that exchange save for the murky fog obscuring the frame. A flash of brilliant yellow and red filled her mind; this was sooner, perhaps nearby, but it too went hazy before much could be discerned. There was no way to know if this hybrid was hostile or aided by another of its kin, but her resolution to pursue it did not alter the obscured view of her family's fate.

"We're meant to track this hybrid, no matter what may greet us there," Alice concluded, "But the hybrid is blocking me from seeing if we're encountering anyone else."

Jasper frowned, "Flying blind, are we? I don't care much for it, Alice."

Alice placed a hand upon his silent heart, "You'll sense their emotions. That's hardly blind. This is what we're meant to do, Jazz. Our family needs us."

Kachiri thrust her shoulders back, standing ever taller, "I fear nothing these woods may conceal. We must move forward. Come."

The lanky Amazon accelerated quickly, deftly navigating the hidden pathways between shrubs and towering trunks as Alice and Jasper flanked her from the rear. Without Alice's visions to guide them, her vast knowledge of the rainforest and its secrets was an asset beyond measure. Alice's eyes darted involuntarily to the lush botanical paradise through which they travelled, the variegation of colour irresistible to her. This was nature's marvel, a labyrinth of species without names, a scant few collected and categorized like insects mummified in Mason jars, immortalized yet insignificant, for they were already caught. They were old news to the scientists out to make a name, to force it upon a creature for the sake of a pat on the back and a line in a textbook. She silently vowed that if they made it through alive, she and Jasper would return for a vacation, a time spent in witness of the thriving life beneath the lush canopies overhead. Through the interloping trees ahead, Alice could detect a clearing, recognition stirring within her, and she smiled. Finally, maybe they were -

"Stop!" Jasper hissed, tugging on her arm violently.

"What is it?" Alice whispered.

"We're running headlong into a fight," he muttered, "And a thought crossed my mind, one that we haven't yet considered."

Kachiri circled back, rejoining them as Jasper continued, his eyes wide with worry, "What if the Volturi already knew of Renesmee? What if Irina merely provided a reason to march in?"

"But how?" Alice whispered, "And why would they-?"

"The army," Kachiri concluded, "The disturbances of the south would echo across the seas to their broad ears. They would collect their knowledge, gather the smell of blood into their noses and prepare to fight."

"Exactly," Jasper concluded, "What if Aro wants Renesmee for part of a collection he's already begun, here in the jungle?"

"But the vision... He said that Ness was an unknown, that she could not be predicted. Once I chose to seek proof, the death faded into obscurity-"

"Meaning only that either Nessie or a wolf survives. Alice, your visions are fallible," Jasper murmured, wrapping an arm around her tiny shoulders, "We need to pursue this angle, without question. But we must proceed with caution. I feel hostility beyond the trees, and we can't barge in and assume goodwill or ignorance to us or our goals."

"He speaks wisely, Miss Alice. We will go forward, but with care and conviction."

Alice bit her lip, kicking at the moist soil beneath her feet. If there was one area in which Jasper excelled, it was strategy in battle, and he was unfortunately right to hesitate. In her visions of Irina seeking out the Volturi, she'd sensed that they had already chosen to seek out the Cullens; what they were waiting for was a time to move. If the southern armies were truly erupting into violence, enough to incur their wrath, then they'd surely sent out members of the guard, possibly Demetri, to perform reconnaissance. And what if, in his travels, Demetri had detected something amiss in Forks, such as Bella's 'tropical illness'? What if Aro had combined that knowledge with the strange army, possibly comprised of hybrids, and wondered if there was a new toy for him to covet in the Olympic range?

Alice felt her body tremble as she immediately sought out her family, her eyes fluttering shut as scattered scenes of a growing number of vampires arriving at their home gave way to scenes of sparring among the meadows and fields of their land. They were readying for a fight, expecting one. Did they suspect what Jasper had now posited?

"Alice?"

"Demetri. What if he's here?" Alice's voice was scarcely a squeak, such was her fear, "He could track us anywhere..."

Kachiri flexed her long fingers, a wicked smile stretching to her high cheekbones, "Let him track me to his final resting place. I will protect you, Miss Alice."

Alice's thoughts wandered to her family, each face flashing before her mind's eye: Carlisle, warm and gentle; Esme, kind and almost child-like in her enthusiasm for others' triumphs; Edward, his brooding ways banished by the way he blossomed in Bella's presence; Emmett and Rosalie, the odd couple that suited each other perfectly, and the way Rosalie smiled like a schoolgirl at her husband when she thought no one would notice; and Bella, holding Renesmee, stunning for her selfless nature as well as her immortal allure. There was no turning back, no backing down. If she had to lay her life down for her family, she would do so. She would pay forward the actions of her unknown saviour, so many years before, the man with no name. _The White Rabbit. I will follow your path, fall down that hole, come whatever may at the bottom. _Her chin jutting in defiance, Alice bolted towards the clearing, darting and dashing between the trees, tiny insects giving flight from the emerald leaves. The sun trickled down through the broad canopy, her skin alight, prismatic as she pushed into the centre, grinding to a halt at the sight of who lay waiting for her...

* * *

She had known this day would come. The wise eagle spirit had spoken of they who would come, they would change life as she and her kin knew it to be. She called for the mighty lioness, summoning her anger and courage, preparing for a war. She could feel him approaching, hear his movements, hear the air expel from his lungs as he grew ever closer. The creator would not be appeased without his collection at his side, and she held a key item. She'd had more respect when he had journeyed himself and made his plea to the boy, standing firm on the soil and looking her in the eye. To send these strangers to covet, to kill if necessary, it spoke of cowardice. And a lioness does not spare a coward.

She could hear their whispers, hear them plan. They would not be stopped nor swayed by reason. They had a mission, as did she. Her muscles tensed beneath the worn hide of her clothing, a stray tendril of black hair tumbling across her olive skin. Dropping to a crouch, teeth bared, she listened and inhaled as the first intruder grew steadily closer, seconds away from her sanctuary. This was the circle, the place where her ancestors and the spirits spoke to her. Those who dared to desecrate this space would suffer a heavy price, one she would not hesitate to deliver. She did not fear death; she longed for it, having been denied by a cruel twist of fate and a promise to a life long extinguished.

"For Pire," she whispered.

A tiny figure burst forth into the clearing, halting five feet away as their eyes met. Her dress was modern, much like the tourists she'd come to know in Brazil, the ones upon which she preyed. Her features were child-like, but it was her eyes, a warm brown that reminded her of the bark of lone tree that stood guard over her sage, that gave her pause. Her ears detected no pulsing beat; her eyes captured the faint glint of radiant light born of the tickling rays of sun fighting through the woven shelter of green above. But _her_ eyes... Her hand raised, pointing at the stranger, demanding answers.

"Libishomen," she whispered.

The petite creature smiled, her hands thrown out quickly as two others flanked her, a male and a female. The male was also pale skinned, his eyes a similar intoxicating shade, one she had not ever known. The taller female, arms akimbo, bore the burgundy eyes that she would watch in the waters, reflecting her own truths at her. Her dress was more traditional, similar hide woven to a form-fitting manner of dress. The male growled low and she hissed in reply, startled as the petite female admonished her mate.

"Jazz, no... I saw her," she said, her voice trilling through the clearing.

She eyed the intruders, seizing them up carefully. The male seemed the most formidable; his stance and position suggested an experienced fighter. The taller female seemed more restrained, but equally powerful in force. The little one, however, was an enigma; was she deceptive in her size, or truly the weakest?

"We're not here to harm you," the delicate voice announced, "We're trying to save my family. We need to find the other, the one who isn't one of _us_."

"Your eyes. Lies. They are the colour of stones," she stated firmly, her body coiled to spring.

"We don't eat humans," the tiny creature explained, edging forward, "Our family chooses a different path. But there are those who would like to destroy our family for its differences..."

The tiny voice trailed away as she turned her gaze to the sky, head titled to the left, her hands tapping frantically upon the arm of the soldier male. She heard it, too: the thrumming that grew steadily closer, winding to the northeast. They knew of him. They would take him.

"Go," she snarled, "You have no business here."

* * *

He reached for a vine, propelling himself against the Araza tree near the river, the bright red fruit gleaming in the pinpoint light of persistent sun. He breathed heavily, tracking the strange scents invading their home, tracking the only mother he had, cursing his existence. _He_ would not rest until all that remained in this life was _his_ world, and he a part of that sickness. What _experiment_ had he unleashed upon them now? Leaping for a lower branch, his lean body arced over the river, somersaulting to the adjacent nut tree. Feline, he crouched, his body sailing in a smooth arc over the rushing waters, the fowl below taking flight in their startling. Two miles remained. That was nothing for those such as he. These intruders would pay dearly.

His heart hummed with hatred for the man responsible for this assault - for he undoubtedly was to blame. He was the only one who knew of this refuge and what prizes it held. He and his minions would be so brash, so relentless. And yet, as he drew closer, the scents and voices reaching him in the weave of branches told a very different tale.

"_Jazz, no... I saw her._"

The voice was musical, a pan flute. He carefully judged his next leap, electing to drop down a level then swing to a thriving Araza ten feet away.

He could smell his kin, could hear her hiss protectively. As the last Machi of her family line, she held great power, a tether between the animal world and herself that guided each movement. She was strong, infused with their knowledge and skills. But power bred a desire to covet, to destroy. They would not spare her if this came to blows. And yet, this voice seemed... peaceful?

"_We're not here to harm you. We're trying to save my family. We need to find the other, the one who isn't one of _us."

They _were_ here for him, then. They knew. His muscular arms reached out as he leaped at a towering trunk, hovering, waiting for the moment of surprise.

"_We don't eat humans. Our family chooses a different path. But there are those who would like to destroy our family for its differences._.."

Vampires that did not eat humans? Who were these strangers? And what else could possibly sustain a vampire beyond human blood, when human food bore no value? His curiosity piqued, his heart began to race, thrumming within his chest as he swung lower, perhaps fifty feet above the gathering. The smallest of the intruders suddenly gazed skyward and he found himself mesmerized by her warm brown eyes, a deer in headlights.

"Go," his kin snarled, "You have no business here."

"You don't understand!" the tiny woman protested, "Our family was recently joined by a mortal woman, Bella. My brother Edward married her, with the intention of her becoming one of us. Before she did, however, she became pregnant with his child - a daughter. A hybrid."

His breath caught, his head cocked towards the conversation below. _A hybrid? A human mother and a vampire father? _Beyond his own lineage, he knew nothing of others of his kind. Perhaps these intruders weren't associated with _him_ after all...

"Such things do not exist," his aunt lied from below, "And why should I care?"

"You know they exist," the tall and dark female stated calmly, "As sure as we hear the heartbeat of a being whose scent is neither human nor vampire, you know of what we speak."

"They're going to kill my niece!" The tiny vampire blurted out, her voice pained, "They're going to kill her because there is nothing known about hybrids. Our only chance is to find definitive proof of what Renesmee will become. They'll kill my entire family. _Please_."

The blonde male placed a restraining hand upon the pixie-like female, one she shrugged off as she leaped upward, seizing hold of a tree branch and throwing herself upwards. He dodged quickly, backflipping to another towering Araza tree, but she was faster, her icy blue dress billowing outward as she climbed and tumbled, plunking down upon a branch five feet away. From below, a commotion broke out, his aunt snarling and climbing quickly, ordering the intruders to leave. He hissed, his body drawn tight as she grinned, her spiky hair lending a crazed look to her.

"There you are," she whispered, "I'm Alice... And you're my only hope."


	14. Underpromotion

_**AN: **_

_**Ah, an update before a month has passed; did you miss this? ;)**_

_**This chapter is a flashback, but a very telling one. Rather than merely have Nahuel tell Alice what he knows, I thought it far more interesting to show you why he speaks of Joham with such disdain. **_

_**This chapter is heavily steeped in Mapuche traditions; a quick Wikipedia search will help you out if need be. Most of it should be obvious in terms of what is good and bad, but feel free to explore. **_

_**Ailen - Mapuche name meaning 'little coal'; Lican - Mapuche name meaning 'flint stone'. Nahuel, by the way, really does mean 'jungle cat'. Go Stephenie!**_

_**Speaking of her, she owns all things Twilight; I own Ailen and Lican, however.**_

* * *

_Amazon Rainforest, 1863_

The tall, muscular form of a man with rich mocha skin and long black locks cut through the jungle at a pace that sent the colourful birds scattering to the roof of the canopy, a rainbow cutting across the emerald leaves of his sky. He huffed as he pushed himself further, exerting enough force to leave inch-deep footprints upon the firm earth as he dodged the trunks of trees wiser than he, his eyes unseeing, his mind lost in painful thought.

_Libishomen_.

It was what had made him, five years ago. That force of evil, that sickness that rose inside of hs chest, burning in his throat like the brush fires of his ancestors as they cleansed the earth when it failed them. It bubbled within, unwanted, a spirit that tainted his passage to what lay beyond. Would he ever see what lay beyond? His body slammed into the brittle bark of a tower of wood as he ran, the pain barely registering. If one cannot die, is one alive?

_Libishomen_.

It was what he had created as he entered the world, damning his only family to a cursed life, a curse born of his mother's mistakes. His mother in all ways but blood, Huilen refused to lay blame upon anyone but the forbidden creature who'd bewitched his mother, stealing her virtue and planting the Wekufe within. But he was the bitter fruit, and that made him question her devotion. Her curse was complete; she could do nothing more than kill, destroying her own kind. She was now what she hated and feared, and she walked with grace in spite of it.

A tree branch cracked in the canopy and he froze, his eyes and ears scanning for the source of the intrusion. The wind tousled his flowing hair, bringing with it a scent that drew him into a protective crouch, hissing low.

_Libishomen_. Another one? A shifting of the brush to his left revealed a tall man, his shoulders broad, his angular face mirroring his own jawline. His dress was similar to Nahuel's own traditional Mapuche attire, his Makuñ a blend of reds and browns. His eyes burned with the fires of the dark spirits that bore him to this earth, and he smiled, his teeth gleaming in sharp relief against the deep brown flesh of his body. The stranger edged closer with arms spread wide, his hands held up in a gesture of surrender, but he did not trust the man. These creatures could not be trusted to be peaceful.

"I mean you no harm," the rich baritone insisted, echoing through the clearing.

"You can mean nothing _but _harm. Go," he snarled.

"You judge me, and know me not. You and I are not so different; I smell it upon you," the stranger continued, edging closer.

He growled low as the intruder neared him, "I am tainted, but I am not you. I see the lust for the blood in you. It pleases you to see the rivers run red."

His mother-aunt often spoke of what made him special in her eyes. _You are half-them, Jungle Cat, but you are half-her. In you lives her kindness, her heart. That will protect you from the poison's fires. You will take what you need, respecting balance; you will not hear the whispers of the Wekufe. You will show mercy, as I do. We are more than what we are born as. We choose and the Ngen guide us._ He could feel the stranger's sense of power, his belief in his law over all other teachings. He understood the lesson now.

"Nature drives us. We are what we are because we have become what is strongest and best. The weak do not survive. There is nothing wrong with striving for a higher form. And you... You are a higher form, one I have sought for some time. I did not believe I would ever find you."

He lunged forward at the stranger's words, even as a familiar scent drifted closer, perhaps two miles away and approaching fast, "Who are you?"

The stranger chuckled, his deep burgundy eyes gleaming, "I am Joham... Your father."

* * *

The olive-skinned woman cut along the river, the flames licking at her tongue from within, driving her every course of action. She inhaled deep, a huntress of an different kind now, smiling involuntarily as a welcome aroma filled her nostrils. _Blood_. Instinct took over now, her reflexes sharp as she skipped and leaped from stone to stone, picking a path across, the rich pulsing of veins hammering in her skull. Launching herself into the heights of an Araza, she listened, teasing apart the sounds of nature and that which was now her natural prey.

Three heartbeats, one somewhat erratic.

Her focus centred on the one that did not keep steady time, for this spoke of a weakness. Swinging across to another tree, she scampered along the woven limbs of the canopy, her foosteps light, her breaths deep and rich with the earthy musk of the hunted. Ten miles further, she found what she sought and halted, studying the group.

The younger male and female seemed mated, walking closely, their gaits matched. They exchanged glances rich in meaning as they journeyed, seeking fruit for their family, on a day trip of some sort. The older woman, although with them, was tired, her mind elsewhere. This was a final pilgrimage, a return to places once important and known. Such was her gift as a Machi of her once-kin; the plants and animals whispered to her still, giving her hope that she still served the wisdom and truth of the Mapuche. It was a matter of choice, of fighting that which invaded. And her choice now was one of mercy. The old woman did not have much longer; as she ushered the younger ones away, Huilen knew that she had come here preparing to die. Her ears detected a cracking of joints, the bones weary, as the old woman settled along the river's edge, his eyes capturing the wince of pain. The young ones were almost far enough away to spare them knowledge of what would come. Gently lowering herself to a mere twenty feet from the earth, Huilen bided her time, praying to the Ngen to guide her as they always had.

The old woman closed her eyes and Huilen pounced, snapping her neck quickly before draining her lifeless body, dragging it deep into the lush jungle, where the prints of the mighty cats lingered. The young ones would not question further that that which lay on the surface. They would mourn, and move on, as she had after her sister's broken body stilled in her arms. Life meant death; one gave purpose to the other. The woman did not protest in her tiny arms, did not so much as whisper a plea. She was ready; the Ngen had led Huilen along their path.

The body disposed of, her throat sated, she turned now to finding her nephew, whose own path seemed tangled in sorrows from which he refused to sever his spirit. He carried the weight of his mother upon his back, heavy with questions that she could not answer for him. She, too, carried her sister with her, her sleepless nights spent in meditation and journey, struggling with the ghosts that whispered of the ways she could have protected her from her 'angel', sparing her from his wicked plans. The boy was an innocent; he had not chosen to exist, but thrived all the same. Although his rich skin contrasted sharply with Pire's fair visage, his eyes and his smile were his mother's, as was his kindness towards all that lived, from tiny insect to the people they killed to sate the sickness for which there was no cure. She would assure him of his goodness, loved him as her own son, but it was never enough to brush aside the crease of his brow when waking. In sleep, he tossed and flailed, anaconda-like, haunted by what he imagined his birth to be: a murderous, bloody event, a war where no one had won. She would hum the chants of their people, calling to Ngenechen to guide him, to Antu and her mate Kueyen to light his journey and bring him insight in the blackness of his woes. Many a time she had sat with Nahuel, telling their stories, offering lessons that he would refuse, arguing that he did not have a spirit that could receive these gifts.

"I am one with Gualichu; I cannot be set free of that force,"he would lament, storming off into the brush.

She ran fast, her ears and eyes mindful of outsiders who might see that which should not be seen, tracking her kin to where he often retreated to think. He'd refused to hunt, subsisting on the fruits and seeds of the forest's bounty. She could no longer eat as before; the food tasted foul, and would not remain within nor sustain her. She could only assume that her sister's humanity lived inside of him, that she needed to be fed as she was accustomed. He often grew weak when he refused to hunt and kill, but there was no quarelling with the fierce clawing of his broken heart. Cutting sharp on a southern bed, a strange scent struck her senses, bringing her to a startled halt.

_Libishomen_. The Dark Angel. It was scent she remembered faintly from her time before, when her nose was but a weak hunting tool. _No. It cannot be. After five long years..._ Inhaling deep, her teeth bared, a snarl slipping past her curled lips. _Nahuel_. The fire of the mighty volcano brimmed within as she ran fast and hard, tracking the intruder, whose path soon crossed her kin's, stalking him to his special tree... For what? He could not be killed. He would not follow the creature who had made him. This was acquisition, then; like human men, this stranger sought his lineage.

"You will not have the last of Pire," she snarled, her legs carrying her faster.

Her senses keen, she heard them before she saw them: a rich, deep voice, booming and... amused... contrasting with the fiery passion of her almost-son. Pride filled her leonine spirit as she flung herself into the canopy, swinging to a perch overhead, glaring down upon the one who had brought so much sorrow to her family. His black hair flowed long, past his shoulders, the broad sleeves of his clothing swaying in a whirl of wind from the south. His hand extended in friendship to Nahuel and was met with a ferocious strike from Pire's Jungle Cat.

"You are no father; you are a monster who destroyed my mother through me. You have no business here!"

The Dark Angel shook his head, "You would turn from family? Your mother chose her path; she wasn't strong enough to withstand the consequence."

"And you were not strong enough to stand by her in her fear. You hid," Nahuel snarled, spitting venom at the earth and watching the grasses burn, "Coward!"

The towering figure edged forward, "I could not find her-"

"Lies!" Huilen hissed, springing to the earth, crouching before Nahuel's taut body.

She watched as The Dark Angel startled, his burgundy eyes drinking in her petite form, the familiar cheekbones and wide forehead, her teeth bared. He had known of her; Pire had told her as much while they hid in the forest, concealing the fearful swelling of her womb from their parents. Even as her belly grew heavy with the wild being within that thirsted for the ruby-rich necks of the animals she dragged back to her sister's side, Pire had believed her Angel would come.

_"You do not understand, Huilen; he is clever. He studies the white men and their science. He promised to keep me, always._"

Huilen did not pretend to know what 'science' was, but she knew her sister was betrayed by the brilliant colours of a rainbow, fleeting and intangible. As their eyes locked, the brave smile of the stranger faded. His strategy would change, now; he would use new lies, knowing that she knew.

"You are familiar, but not," he murmured.

Huilen growled, "You take my sister and now you seek what is left of her? You take and take, and the universe will collect. Leave our land, killer, while I allow you to do so."

He frowned, his face moulding into an almost perfect image of solemnity, "Pire was my favourite. I mourn her, too."

Huilen snapped, a string drawn too tightly as she propelled forward, toppling him to the ground beneath her, her hands clawing at his throat. Growling low in his ear, she was aware of Nahuel rushing to flank her.

"I can kill, too. The boy is not interested in you."

He nodded slightly, "Fine. I can see how he feels about his creation. But his sisters should not be shunned for what you view as my mistakes."

"Sisters?" Nahuel gasped.

Huilen's grip tightened upon his throat as she saw into his manipulative spirit. Nahuel believed in family, in kin, more than anything. He knew very well how his words would strike the son that did not want him.

"Nahuel, go."

The tremor in his voice hurt Huilen deeply, "Sisters?"

"NAHUEL! Your mother would want you to go!"

His voice was firm in its resolve, "We go together."

Slamming his head into the ground, Huilen released her prey, leaping to her feet, "Come, child. He is bewitching you, as he bewitched your mother. You know how that tall tale ended."

The Dark Angel remained motionless, watching them back away into the lush greenery, his hands gesturing to the spot upon which he stood, "Tomorrow. I will bring them here tomorrow."

* * *

"I don't like it. It's a ploy. A trap."

Nahuel shook his head, gesturing to the sun that rose strong and bright through the canopy above, "Even so, I must see if they exist. I must know if I have more family."

"He wants a son. He covets. He sees you as a possession," Huilen spat angrily.

Nahuel stared at her for a long moment, his warm brown eyes clouding over, "Then he sees them as possessions. And I cannot abide letting them live that way."

Huilen's silence tore at the broken heart that beat within his chest, its thrumming pace echoing the flutter of the soaring bird that passed them by. He knew that he did not want this Joham as family; he had not shown himself to understand the word and its depths. Huilen was family, the one for whom he persisted in living, for to lose him and be trapped in time with that sorrow would strike a blow more grevious and evil than that of Pire's death. But if there were sisters... Sisters without true family to show them beauty in a sadness that ran deep and long... He could not abandon them.

"Aunt-mother, you protected me, and care for me. Who will protect them?"

Huilen hesitated, and he knew that she was beginning to see as he saw. Gesturing to the sun, her long braid tumbling over her right shoulder, she smiled wanly.

"No matter how dark the night, the sun returns with its warmth, to remind us of the need for balance and light... I do not trust him, Nahuel."

"Nor do I."

Turning to her nephew, Huilen laid a hand upon each of his shoulders, squeezing lightly, "Listen to Antu; you will know what is wise."

With a nod, Nahuel leaped down several feet to a waiting branch, hopscotching his way to the earth, his bare feet landing with a loud _thud_ that startled several small animals in the shrubs nearby. His mind resolved, his mission set, he broke into a run, sailing past the forest and its familiar landmarks at a pace that yielded a blur of shapeless colour even to his keen venom-enhanced sight. Joham was a coward and a liar; this he felt in every fibre of his being. But these sisters... they could be snared in the same mighty web into which his lost mother had fallen. His aunt could not pull her back to safety; he owed it to the woman he murdered to avenge her through achieving that which could not be so in her own life. As the trees broke away to a familiar clearing, Nahuel's senses were assailed by several scents at once, rich and alluring. _Libishomen_. His other family.

He saw him first, of course; he struck Nahuel as one who would not be upstaged under any circumstance. His flowing black locks glinted in the sunbeams dancing between the densely packed leaves above, his burgundy eyes widening as he broke into a smile and extended a hand in greeting. Nahuel shrugged it away, warily keeping a distance. He could smell others like his father, but who was to say if they were truly his sisters, not enemies?

"I am glad to see you," he stated warmly, "Although I am sure your kin is not pleased."

"I'm not here to see you; I'm here for them," Nahuel said softly.

Joham nodded, "But of course. I am glad you have chosen not to shun them. They are innocent, as are you, of any wrongs. Ailen! Lican! Please, come forth and meet your brother."

Two young women stepped into the clearing from the west, their faces filled with trepidation. The taller of the two, who looked to be barely a woman, was of a deep brown complexion, rich as the fertile earth near the river's shore. Her long legs peeked from beneath her long brown skirts, her wavy hair flowing to her waist. Her features were slimmer, more defined than his, but her eyes and the span of her shoulders linked them as kin. The shorter female in the pair looked to be a child, her skin a pale olive tone. Her hair was a vibrant copper, and Nahuel understood that her mother was not one of his people, but of another tribe, a fairer one. He was mesmerized by the facets of red that shimmered through her straight locks, bound loosely at the nape of her neck by a strand of cloth. Her green and black garments were stiff and strange, and Nahuel supposed that they, too, came from the stranger who bore her.

Joham gestured to the tall female, presenting her to Nahuel, "Ailen is four, by human time. Her mother was with me when she gave birth. I could not save her without... She refused," he muttered, looking away.

Her long arm extended to Nahuel, reaching out to caress his arm, "So it is so. A brother. I didn't believe that there could be another before me..."

"And yet, there is."

She smiled warmly, her head cocked to one side, "You're strange. I like it."

Joham pushed forward the younger daughter, chuckling as she stumbled slightly, "Lican is almost three. I found her alone beside her mother... She's gifted."

"Nice to meet you, Nahuel," the delicate soprano whispered, "I'm not that gifted."

"Nonsense!" Joham admonished, "You have a talent, my littlest one. It's very valuable in its way."

Nahuel frowned, "I do not understand what you mean by 'talent'."

"Come; we need to hunt. I'll explain as we go."

Hunting: the one thing Nahuel dreaded, above all else. He hated feeling weak, hated the way the burn would rise in his throat, blinding his senses to all but the most primal and dark forces within him. The smell of death evoked images of his mother, memories of her twisted form pleading to Huilen to care for him. Her pale face had turned grey, smeared with blood and womb as her hands fumbled to her wide open chest, brushing across her face as her lungs shuddered and slowly drew to a halt. His sisters ran slightly ahead, Ailen playfully shoving Lican, earning a shriek of protest and return fire.

"Talents... Some of our kind have extra skills, beyond the enhanced strength and speed that you have come to know. Some can put out shields to protect them from being struck; some can manipulate loyalties. Lican is able to see any memory within your mind as she touches you, and can then project it into another's head if she so desires. She will always remember everything she has ever seen. It's useful."

Nahuel mulled this over, matching pace with the hulking vampire, "So, she could touch me as I recall my birth, and in turn share that image with another?"

"Exactly, Nahuel. You have seen me painted as an evil thing, a monster. I may be vicious and I may be lethal, but I do care. I am also, however, concerned with advantages. Vampires have existed for hundreds of years alongside humans, and yet, we have not even begun to control their lands. Why do you believe we remain a minority?"

Nahuel shrugged, "I cannot say. I am only glad for it."

"I can tell you what I believe, from years of thinking and reading. It is because we have not yet become all we are capable of. We can be more than we are. We are slaves to instinct, and it weakens us, just as it weakens mortals... Shh!"

Nahuel and Joham crouched low, Ailen and Lican following suit ahead of them, and the smell overwhelmed his senses, a glancing blow to the head. _Humans. Blood._ There were at least three, perhaps four, two miles to the west. Ailen's eyes widened, her pale pink tongue running along her lower lip in anticipation. Her face was one of concentration and... joy? The burning flared in his throat as he swallowed hard, his limbs tensed as he innately knew what would follow.

Death. Destruction. A mistake.

Joham led the charge and he followed, unable to resist the thirst he had shunned for a week, his sisters flanking him. The youngest, Lican, reached for his hand and clasped it, a shy smile upon her lips as he turned to her. Squeezing her hand in return, they ran linked, his nostrils drinking deep of the irresistible fragrance in the air. He could hear their footsteps now, could judge by their gait that they were all men, perhaps hunting for their tribe. The blood pulsed audibly in their arteries and veins, beckoning them forth. As they exploded out of the thick clusters of trees and seized the four grown men, Nahuel silently prayed to Antu to grant them mercy. The man in his arms died silently, his neck snapped before a scream could rip from his thick throat. Sinking his teeth into his jugular, Nahuel drank greedily, his vision red and blurry, his body alight with the scorching heat that demanded _more_, always _more_. He worked quickly, as he and Huilen always did to spare those who fell under their curse, gently laying the body under a bush, obscuring the broken form. Burning now with guilt, he looked to his family and froze, horrified at the scene unfolding.

The thirst had receded now, and the screams of those still alive even as the others sipped their prey grew loud in his skull. They were eating them alive, and Joham in particular toyed with and taunted his victim, whispering in his ear as he bit and struck where he would not kill, only maim. A sickening crunch of bone from the leg of Ailen's target made Nahuel's heart sink.

"What are you doing?! They're suffering!"

"Not for much longer," Joham murmured, his teeth plunging into the wrist of the shrieking hunter.

"It doesn't need to be this way," Nahuel protested, "Put them out of their misery!"

Lican's eyes locked with his and she nodded slightly, her hands moving to break the neck of her own flailing human. _Thank you_, Nahuel thought, _She understands_. Ailen did not move to end her prey's life; rather, she drank faster, sinking him into a deep unconscious state, the screams dying off to a muffled gurgle in the back of his throat.

"What you don't seem to understand," Joham stated calmly, breaking the back of the weeping man, "is that you children are the future of this planet. You will rule it, for your are superior in the world of creatures. You do not need blood as a vampire does; you can live off mortal food. Your eyes do not betray your secrets, and you may blend in with your prey. Your heart beats and yet, you bear the strength of my kind."

He dragged a finger along the neck of the bulky man, whose copper skin grew more ashen wth every moment passing. Nahuel's sisters grew rapt, their own prey discarded as their father continued to speak.

"I have travelled far, boy, and I have seen the white men and their tools of science. They study creatures and what makes them strong and weak. There is a man, Darwin, and I watched him for days in Costa Rica. He would speak of each creature being a progression of another, and so on and so on. The world improves its predators."

Overcome by his injuries, the man in Joham's hands collapsed, his body slack and lifeless. Nahuel could no longer hear a heartbeat from his broad chest, and at this, he felt great relief. But it was no match for the rage that continued to fester at the monster's words, at his justification for slaughter. He saw his mother's face in his mind's eye, bloody and weak, and a growl hummed low in his throat.

"I am just encouraging what nature will do eventually," Joham concluded, tossing the limp body aside.

"You're killing women! You killed all of our mothers with your actions. You are not a God. This is not how it should be," Nahuel snarled.

"I didn't know what would happen with your mother. She was the first. And, as I have told you, I have tried to save the rest."

Nahuel moved to speak but stumbled backwards instead as a vibrant image played out in his mind. He could see Joham, crouching in the highest branches of an Araza tree, gazing down upon a slender woman in a white traditional wrap dress, her pale skin scarcely darker than the woven fabric. Her warm brown hair struggled free of a simple braid as she collected fallen fruit in a basket, humming to herself. He could see Joham smile, could hear him whisper: _She will be perfect_. The vision faded abruptly, Joham's arm seizing his as he collided with a nearby tree trunk.

"What's wrong?"

"Liar," Nahuel whispered angrily.

His eyes sought out Lican, whose sad expression told him everything. She had shared the truth with him out of a kindness. She had the potential to be better than this. Ailen, on the other hand, seemed neutral on the issue, unmoved by either side.

"I'm not lying, son-"

"I AM NOT YOUR SON! I WAS A PROJECT TO YOU! I am the proof of the depths of evil in this world. I could never be your son!" Nahuel spat, shoving Joham forcefully back.

"I need you, Nahuel," Joham pleaded, "You are the only one who can change others. Your sisters bite and do not change anyone. I need to understand-"

"You need to leave, and never return to these lands. For if you do, I shall kill you myself," Nahuel declared, turning to his sisters, "You don't have to follow him. Huilen will embrace you. There is another way."

Ailen moved to stand behind Joham, her head bowed and brow furrowed deep in thought. Lican sighed, projecting a quick flash that betrayed the reason for her reluctance to follow him: Joham had killed another sister over her desire to leave. Lican was trapped, too small to fight him off; she would have to remain, for now, to keep her life.

With a hateful look at Joham, Nahuel spoke, "I wish you well, sisters. You are welcome to come see me. You," he continued, pointing to the monster who saw fit to play as a God, "should never return."

His arms swung wildly as he ran, retracing his path to his home, to the family that loved him and sheltered him from his sorrows. He could not save his sisters now, or perhaps ever; they were too afraid to see a new path, their minds not open to the ways of the Machi. But he had tried, and he knew the truth now about his mother's demise. He was the method of murder, but his father had pointed him as a weapon at her fragile being.

Someday, he would make him pay for it.


	15. Hypermodernism

_**AN: **_

_You know that whole 'calm before the storm' cliche? _

_This would be that chapter._

_From here forward, things begin to spin away from the strict expansion of canon to something more complex. For everyone who has asked questions about why certain people, events and things have been mentioned in DTRH and this tale, the picture will begin to come into focus. _

_**I may take a BRIEF hiatus from this story soon**; I'm finding changing trains of thought between three very different stories difficult. Alternately, I may take a hiatus from the other two, motor straight through to the end on this one, then go back to them. Watch my Twitter for updates: casket4myfanfic._

_Thanks as always to the best beta that ever pinked a Word Document, sarawithouttheh. 3_

_As always, Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight. I own exhaustion._

* * *

"After I ordered him away, Joham attempted to take me by force, assuming that Huilen had used her powers as a Machi to keep me from striking any other allegiance. There was a fight, and were it not for Lican stunning him with memories of my mother's suffering, it would have been to the death. His death," Nahuel snarled, his body trembling. "I have seen him a few times, since; he is more humble in his pursuit, but relentless."

"And Lican?" Alice asked quietly.

Nahuel shook his head sadly, "We would have welcomed her, but Joham..."

Jasper raised a hand, wincing, "I'm sorry, Nahuel. I know the anguish you feel; you need not speak any more."

Alice's face fell as she exchanged a glance with Jasper. _He killed her, of course. She betrayed her 'commanding officer', Doctor Hybrid. Son of a bitch!_ Her hand reached out to graze Nahuel's, his eyes snapping up to meet hers, his pupils wide. Alice sensed that theirs was not a touchy-feely family, although the love and admiration Huilen held for her nephew radiated from her being. Kachiri growled low, her long fingers flexing. She, too, was itching for a chance to fight this Joham bastard.

"Your niece," Nahuel asked suddenly, "She is how old?"

"A few months," Alice replied, "Although she looks more like a few years old. We've noticed the growth slowing in recent weeks."

"It will. The first two years are rapid; the rest slower. I was as I am now by my seventh year of life. This seems to have been so for my sisters."

"Are there many more?" Jasper asked.

"At least three, including Ailen; there may be a son, now. My father continues to build his precious army," Nahuel muttered, "I have not seen her for several weeks."

Alice weighed out the information carefully, overwhelmed both by the emotion clinging to each syllable as Nahuel spoke and the prospect of protecting her family. There were at least four beings who proved what could be expected from a hybrid child - three of which were females, like Nessie. No matter what sinister intentions the Volturi had - and they _were_ sinister, unquestionably - it would be risky to wage war on the Cullens in the face of hard evidence to refute and allay any concerns that Aro might possess. Their mere existence, however, was not enough to spare them; they needed witnesses to speak on their behalf. Alice inwardly cursed at her inability to see in the presence of Nahuel; there was no way of knowing what approach was best in advance. _Edward would be laughing his ass off right now._

"Nahuel, Huilen," Alice began, her voice soft, "We have an incredible favour to ask of you, one we wouldn't ask unless it was as dire as the circumstances that drove us to seek you out. I know we are strangers, but I'd like to believe that kindness and an understanding of true family," at this, she gestured to Huilen, "would help you to hear our request, at least."

"Listening is what we do," Huilen replied softly, "If we do not listen, we miss what the Ngen are trying to tell us."

Alice smiled, "Even immortals, for all of their supposed perfections, fail at something so basic. Thank you. Before I explain further, are you aware of the Volturi and who they are?"

Huilen shook her head, "We have, aside from Nahuel's siblings, lived a rather solitary existence. We avoid the others, partially to protect Nahuel from their prying eyes and intentions that are dark."

Kachiri's gaze narrowed, "You have been vampires for how long?"

"150 years or so; we don't track time anymore," Nahuel replied.

"Well, Miss Alice, I shall leave it to you to explain them. Their very names leave a harsh taste in my throat," Kachiri declared, stunned.

Alice frowned, "Kachiri, I hardly think you're the only one here with a distaste for the pretentious Princes of Petulance and Procurement."

"The Volturi," Jasper began, flooding the group with a wave of calm, "is essentially vampire royalty, self-declared. They police all other vampires to ensure that we remain secret and that they remain omnipotent. They collect vampires with gifts, like Lican. When vampires are out of line, or when they have something they covet, they destroy them."

"And these people, they covet your niece?" Huilen asked, leaning forward from her perch upon the branch of the Abiu overhead.

"They covet Alice," Jasper answered quickly, cutting his wife off, "They covet our brother, and our niece's mother, I assume. What they have done is look for an excuse to seek us out and seize control. They now believe we have an immortal child, not a hybrid."

"They think she was human and turned young?" Huilen asked, "And that runs against their decrees?"

"Very much so," Alice confirmed, "Vampires have been executed for daring to create such children. They come to kill those they hold responsible."

Nahuel shook his head in confusion, "But they will hear her heart, see her eyes. The truth lays before them. I don't understand what role we play in your problem, or what makes it so desperate that you would travel all this way."

"I've seen their reaction; they will say that because hybrids have not been seen before, they are a risk and must be destroyed. Naturally, we won't stand aside and let them kill our family without a fight. The Volturi," Alice snarled, her eyes narrowing, "however, never fight fair. But I have seen an alternate future, if we can _prove_ what will become of Renesmee."

"You mean to use my sister's child as proof," Huilen concluded.

"Without Nahuel as irrefutable proof of the growth and life of a hybrid, we will all die," Alice said quietly, "I know we are strangers, and I know this is a great deal to ask. But I have no choice but to try."

"It is an incredible burden to demand of us. I do not wish to fight. We are at peace here, in the home of our people," Huilen stated harshly, "I have great pain for your family and those who wish to destroy it, but you ask of me that I sacrifice my only family's safety."

"If it were Nahuel's life at risk, you would ask us," Alice countered, rising slowly to her feet.

"If it were your mate's life demanded, would you not decline?" Huilen asked sharply, her body rising to a crouch.

Alice nearly stumbled at the intensity of the wave of calm Jasper sent out then, her hand steadying her against the tall tree to her left. She had known this would be a hard sell, and with good reason; every instinct within her slight frame would be kicking and screaming in the face of any threat to the lives of those she loved. But her heart... Her heart would be crying out with compassion, with a sense of justice for all, even strangers. Rosalie, she knew, thought differently; her snide reactions to the mess with James were proof of her self-centred world view. Carlisle, on the other hand, thought of everyone but himself, a true humanitarian in spite of his inhumanity.

Huilen struck Alice as a giving soul; she'd accepted her sister in her darkest hour, not judging, but protecting her. She held no ill will towards Nahuel in spite of the consequences of his birth; the way she looked at him bespoke a motherly pride and love, a fierce devotion to his safety. As Nahuel had spoken of Joham, Huilen's small body puffed up in rage, her muscles taut. It was to this giving nature she needed to appeal now.

"What are you doing to us?" Huilen hissed, "You twist the tides of feeling."

Jasper grimaced, "I don't want anyone to come to blows. Conflict is painful for me because of my gifts-"

"Gifts? This is the work of one with Wekufe. Nahuel, we must go."

"Please, Huilen," Alice whispered, "Just think of her. She's a _child_. An innocent child! She didn't ask to be born into this world. Children shouldn't be pawns in a political play for power!"

"Yet you use my child-"

Kachiri shook her head furiously, "Miss Alice would never-"

"I want to go."

The entire group froze, turning towards the towering male who leaped between Alice and Huilen, his hand bracing against his kin's shoulder. With a determined look in his eyes, a silent exchange passed between the two of them. Huilen's head shook slightly, her long braid gently swaying along the smooth flesh of her back. Nahuel tilted his head slightly, his hand squeezing the should upon which it lay, then releasing it. With a heavy sigh, he turned to Jasper and Alice, his lips frozen in a sad smile.

"My aunt-mother worries for me. She is good to me. But I wish to meet this Nessie, and I cannot allow her to come to harm. My life began with death, with blood on my hands. I destroyed my mother. I cursed my aunt to this existence, cursed her as one of that which she feared and hated. I wish to make amends."

"Sweet child, you did not do anything," Huilen whispered.

Nahuel pressed his large hand to his chest, fingers splayed wide, "This is my path. The Ngen summon me. I feel this."

"You have a day or two to think about it, "Alice interjected, "We'll give you the time alone to decide. I wouldn't want you to feel you must answer right this moment. We understand what a heavy burden we're asking you to bear."

Reaching her hand out to Jasper, Alice edged backwards, sensing that Nahuel would be able to sway Huilen - and no one else. In the meantime, she needed to check her visions once more, and course correct if needed, something she couldn't do with Nahuel three feet away. Jasper's muscular arms snaked around her waist, ignoring her hand and pulling her to the stony wall of his chest. Closing her eyes, Alice melted against him, allowing her limbs to soften, her mind to slow. _Too much... Too much to fear; too much to dread._ He buried his face in her hair, pressing light kisses to her scalp in reassurance as he led her away from where a silent argument continued to unfold between the hybrid and his caregiver. Behind them, Alice heard Kachiri stir, the shifting of animal hide against skin the only sound as her bare feet tread gently along the cool dirt.

"Will they come?" Kachiri asked softly.

"I don't know," Alice admitted, "My visions are blocked around hybrids and wolves. I need to put some distance between us and see what lies beyond that setting sun above."

"It will work out," Jasper insisted, "Nahuel is determined."

"I hope so," Alice murmured softly, "I wasn't lying to him. He's truly our only hope now, and he's not a guarantee for all of us. If he enters the picture, if any of the wolves will survive... I'll be blind."

"You must have faith," Kachiri said, her hand reaching out to graze Alice's arm, "You have come so far. You have found that which you sought. Do you believe this to be chance?"

Alice shrugged as they walked on, a solitary bird taking flight as they neared, its brilliant feathers shimmering as it soared higher towards the canopy, "Maybe it is merely luck. Maybe fate is cruel."

"Your visions are based on decisions," Jasper noted, "Maybe something chose for us to succeed. Finding Nahuel was incredibly fortunate for dumb luck, Alice."

Alice froze, spinning within the loose grasp of Jasper's arms, "Are you actually approaching a religious viewpoint, Jasper Whitlock?"

Jasper shook his head, "Not per se. Maybe I'm trying to play Carlisle's advocate. Or maybe I've seen far too much 'luck' in the lives of our family to dismiss the notion that there are forces more powerful than we imagine. Bella is, as far as we know, the only mortal to survive bearing a hybrid at all. She met Edward and was so at ease with what he was, with our lifestyle, as if she was made for him. I found you, against all odds, when even you did not know my name or where I was. You had faith in that vision of us and waited for me. Could it hurt to try and have faith in a possibility of survival?"

Alice pressed onto her toes, kissing Jasper lightly, "Not only a pretty face, but intelligent, too."

"I married you, didn't I?"

Kachiri cleared her throat loudly, "Might I run and hunt, if this is to become a mate moment?"

Alice giggled, "Oh Kachiri, I apologize for him. He's normally not this emotive, I swear."

A sudden wave of lust and longing flooded her senses and Alice felt her knees weaken. Someone was playing dirty, and she knew exactly why: the river. With a sly smile, Alice pressed herself against Jasper's groin in retaliation, revelling in the slight curling of his lower lip that betrayed how affected he was by the gesture. With a wink, Alice turned to Kachiri, jerking her head towards her husband.

"We'll meet back near the waterfall, by morning, let's say?"

Kachiri chuckled, nodding, "Very well, my friends. You deserve peace before the battle to come. Travel safely."

Kachiri made haste, cutting to the southeast, and Jasper groaned softly, pulling Alice tight against him. His hand seized her chin, tilting it gently upwards to meet his soft lips as they grazed her own. Alice sighed contentedly, her hands sliding beneath Jasper's shirt to skim the surface of his chest.

"That was very bad manners for a gentleman, Mr. Whitlock," Alice murmured.

"My apologies, ma'am," Jasper growled against her ear, "I fell prey to the temptation of a woman and couldn't resist."

Her hand slipping between them, Alice stroked his length through his slacks, enjoying the hiss that escaped his lips, "Sinners, aren't we all? Perhaps you should repent and ask for forgiveness?"

Alice felt his hands cup her breasts, his thumbs dancing lightly over her nipples. His lips found her neck, sucking gently at where her jugular once pulsed, her skin dancing with the electricity of his touch. Moaning softly, her hand unzipped his pants and slid inside, stroking him through the flimsy silk that separated their flesh.

"Mmm," Jasper purred, nipping at her collarbone, "Hail _Mary_, full of grace-"

"Sinning... while repenting... does not help," Alice panted.

His kisses continued to trail around her neck to her left shoulder, his fingers lightly pinching and pulling at the hardened nubs beneath the thin fabric of her dress, "Then how... will I purify... my soul?"

"Baptism?"

Jasper's eyes locked on hers, his lust and need reflecting her own passion for him. She winked and he ran his tongue intentionally over his lower lip, squeezing her breasts and rocking her backwards on her heels. Without warning, Jasper threw her over his shoulder, her arms dangling along his back as she squealed in shock.

"Put me down!" Alice protested.

Slapping her ass, Jasper chuckled, "I'm not putting you down until we're in the river." Lowering his voice, he murmured huskily against her hip, "And I'll be setting you upon the throbbing ache in my slacks."

Alice shivered, a vision of the three hours awaiting her in the water rolling through her line of sight, "I love it when you're not a gentleman."

"Darlin', all decorum is gone tonight," he pronounced, breaking into a run, his hands gripping her torso tightly.

"Good thing you already made an honest woman of me," Alice giggled, flailing her legs intentionally as a tease.

"Honest, not innocent," Jasper returned.

"Innocent is for deer. I'm worldly."

"Is that what they call it now?" Jasper teased, leaping over a fallen tree and speeding up, the rushing water filling their ears spurring him on.

"Careful, Mr. Whitlock; I may swing my pendulum towards the virginal Mary and save myself henceforth for God."

Alice felt his hand slide between her thighs, tugging her panties aside and plunging two fingers deep into her core. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her body shuddered, his fingers pumping slowly as he closed the distance between them and the rushing waters of the Amazon.

"Oh _God_," Alice moaned, without thinking.

Thrusting deeper inside, Jasper's voice was low as he pressed his lips to her bare thigh, "Blasphemy, isn't that?"

"I told you I would save myself for him. Aren't you God?" Alice purred, shuddering as his tongue flicked beneath her knee.

Jasper paused at the shore of the river, his fingers slipping free of her wet center. Setting her gently upon the grass, his hands gripped the hem of the blue babydoll dress she wore, tugging it up and free, the garment fluttering to the cool green grass beneath their feet. Licking his lips slowly, he winked.

"I may be God. I _do_ intend to make you pray for mercy."

Alice grinned, yanking him towards her by the waist of his pants, her deft fingers making quick work of them, the material sliding to the ground with a dull thump, "I'm very good at praying. I'm an expert at rubbing... a rosary."

His hands seized her beneath her arms, lifting her into the air. Instinctively, her legs wrapped around his frame, ankles hooked as he kissed her deeply, their tongues tangled and frenzied. She could feel his erection skirting the curves of her ass and she moaned into his mouth, her hands tangling within his blonde curls. His teeth pressed into her lower lip, tugging lightly as they broke apart. Alice's heart would be racing if it still beat as she recognized the sly look in his eyes. _He has patience today, which means I get to do _that_ tonight_...

"An expert supplicant, my black-haired Madonna?" Jasper whispered.

Alice's tongue darted out to graze his lips, "_Devout_, my lord."

Jasper's reply, growled against her ear, confirmed her erotic hopes: "On your knees, _ma'am_."

Unhooking her ankles and tumbling to the earth before him, Alice's tiny hands shoved aside his boxers, her eyes turning upwards to meet his as his hardness sprung out towards her waiting lips.

"Yes, _sir_..."

* * *

Five hours later, Alice curled up beside to Jasper's now clothed body, a hint of sunrise pushing its way through the stubborn canopy. His arm squeezed her closer to him, her face pressed to his chest, as they stretched out near the waterfall where the Amazons made their home, awaiting Kachiri's return. Alice had checked and rechecked her visions, the outcome of the Volturi's visit a blurry haze of indiscernible shapes. Kachiri's return, too, was a haze; Alice hoped that this meant that Nahuel and Huilen would be coming, although it was more likely that she simply hadn't decided to find them just yet. _Oh well_, Alice sighed inwardly, _Like being wrapped in my husband's arms a while longer is a bad thing!_ The sun rose slightly higher, the beams shifting in a way her keen vision noticed, and Alice rolled on top of Jasper, her nose pressed to his.

"I thought we were behaving, so that Kachiri could return?"

Alice smiled, "We are; I wanted to look at you comfortably while talking."

"Shift higher, then," Jasper insisted, "Or you'll lose your dress again."

Alice slid her body a few inches higher, straddling Jasper just above his waist, her palms pressed to his shoulders. Leaning down slowly, she left a ghost of a kiss upon his left cheek. Jasper's hand reached out to cradle her cheek and she leaned into it, relishing the feel of his skin upon hers.

"Still can't see her return?" Jasper asked.

"No. I'm hoping it means Nahuel's crossed her path."

Jasper nodded, "He'll come, Alice. I felt it. I can't speak for Huilen, but he wants to help."

Alice's brow furrowed, "I don't want Huilen to be upset at him for helping us."

"She'll understand, I think; this is about more than us."

"How so?"

Jasper thought for a moment, "I can't say for certain, but I think he and I have a similar reaction to our human kills. He doesn't have my gift, but his sense of empathy seems strong. Coming to Forks to help us save Renesmee means he has a purpose, a value beyond killing."

Alice's eyes widened, "Poor Nahuel! He can't help what he is; he was born into this life."

"But we can aspire to be more than what we are, right? If that were not possible, we wouldn't live as we do. We'd kill humans without reservation. I wouldn't exhaust myself in this struggle not to drink from our classmates and neighbours," Jasper countered, his eyes darkening.

"You're right, Jazz; I only meant-"

A loud rustling of trees a mile away left Alice giggling, her face falling against Jasper's shoulders. With a sad sigh, he kissed the top of her head, toying with her short hair.

"I take it Kachiri is giving us her five-second warning?"

Alice laughed, springing to her feet and extending a hand to Jasper, "Very considerate, don't you think?"

Taking her hand, Jasper yanked her back to the ground, snaring her in his arms, "We have four seconds."

"Jazz!" Alice giggled.

"What? We're clothed, aren't we?" Jasper replied, kissing her neck lightly.

"Not entirely clothed," Kachiri announced, smirking at Alice, "You might wish to adjust your dress, Miss Alice."

Alice pulled free of Jasper, tugging her skirt down as she rose once more to her feet, "He's worse than a child, I swear!"

Jasper rose slowly, smiling warmly at the svelte Amazonian, "She understands my compulsion to keep you near, Alice."

Kachiri raised an eyebrow, "Oh, I do? Best tread carefully with your words, Mister Jasper. Do you truly invite my opinion?"

"On second thought-"

Kachiri chuckled heartily, "I knew it."

"Any sign of Nahuel or Huilen?" Alice asked anxiously.

Kachiri shook her head, "None, although I've been running in broad circles for some time. If they wished to follow you, they would quickly rule my direction out."

"I wish my visions worked with hybrids," Alice grumbled, "I hate not knowing."

"This is your taste of what Edward endures with Bella," Jasper teased, "If the stock market ever figured you out, they'd simply have to fill the trading floors with Quileutes to stop you."

"And if they did that, you wouldn't be able to make ridiculous bets with Emmett anymore," Alice retorted, "What do they say again about biting the hand that feeds you?"

"I thought you liked a little biting," Jasper drawled.

Kachiri cleared her throat, smiling widely, "I could easily entertain myself for another few hours, if you two require time to settle this _argument_."

"That won't be necessary, Kachiri. Jasper is going to be-"

Alice froze, a distant sound of a branch snapping drawing her attention. Her body taut, she inhaled deeply, nodding in satisfaction as she confirmed what she had innately sensed. _We have company_, Alice mused, _But only one approaches_. Her eyes locked to the south, Jasper and Kachiri followed her cues, orienting themselves to flank her. Jasper's hand settled upon her shoulder, squeezing it once as he leaned forward.

"I told you, didn't I?"

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day," Alice rebuffed him, smiling warmly as their guest joined them, "Nahuel... It's good to see you again."

The graceful male before them, the rich coffee tone of his complexion sharply contrasting with the brilliant flowers blossoming near him, nodded silently. His expression was one of a conflicted man, an expression Alice knew well from her years with Jasper at her side. It would seem to her that Jasper's theory held true.

"I have come to offer my assistance to your family. I cannot abide a world where a child may be killed for realities beyond her control, nor can I abide the death of a mother and a family for reasons of ignorance," Nahuel concluded, his gaze drifting between Alice and Jasper.

Alice's emotions consumed her, a wash of relief and fear that propelled her to impulsively embrace Nahuel. His body stiffened initially, his experience with physical contact seemingly limited, but then he relaxed, patting Alice's back with his hand.

"I cannot thank you enough for this, Nahuel."

"Where is your aunt?" Kachiri inquired cautiously.

Nahuel stepped away from Alice, directing his attention to the lanky vampire, "She is nearby, perhaps five miles away. After her anger when we last spoke, she didn't wish to upset you by coming with me. She would like to travel with us, if only to protect me, but she was not sure if she would be welcome to."

"Of course she is!" Alice enthused, "In fact, I was hoping she would. Only she can tell Pire's story first-hand. Kachiri, shall we go find her and reassure her?"

Alice glanced at Jasper, who smiled slightly. _That's what I thought; these two need boy talk_. Accompanied by Kachiri, Alice danced off into the forest in search of the petite vampire who lingered in the distance.

* * *

Jasper watched her depart, even this brief separation painful, then turned his gaze to the hybrid, the guilt and anxiety rolling off of him, slamming into Jasper with the ferocity of a sledgehammer. There would be no travelling with him in this state; the intensity would distract him and, in turn, make him less able to protect Alice. He needed to talk to Nahuel, to allay his deepest fears and bring him down from the fever pitch of his self-loathing to something subdued.

"You shouldn't hate yourself, Nahuel," Jasper remarked quietly, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree.

The hybrid eyed him suspiciously, "You are what they call gifted, are you not? You made us feel things before; it upset my aunt."

Jasper nodded, "My ability, like Lican's, has two aspects: I can manipulate the emotions of those around me at will, which can be useful to elicit cooperation or motivate others to act. I also absorb the emotions of others when they are near."

The mention of his lost sister's name pulled forward the grief that had assailed Jasper the previous evening and he winced slightly as Nahuel continued, "So, when you said you understood about Lican-?"

"I meant it. I feel your grief, as you feel it."

"I am sorry," Nahuel whispered, "It must be a heavy weight to bear."

"We all have our crosses, as it were. I have my own."

Nahuel edged closer, studying Jasper's face. The anxiety had returned; he wanted to ask him something. Jasper remained silent, a wave of calm reaching out to the troubled man before him, urging him to speak.

"You are doing it again," Nahuel noted, "Why?"

"I want you to feel free to ask what you're withholding," Jasper replied quietly, "We are a lot alike, Nahuel, as best as I can determine. We both hate the monster within us, and hate that we have unleashed it."

Nahuel nodded, "I do hate it. I should not exist. I wish I didn't. Each time I kill someone, I mourn their loss. In my mind, they are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. By killing them, I destroy the families who will no longer be complete. I kill, and I feel so many things..."

Jasper reached out his arm slowly, his hand coming to rest on Nahuel's bare arm, "It took me many years and a wise friend to understand why the killing bothered me so deeply. It was the fact that I took in all of their fear and distress, each and every time they perished. When I met Alice, who is my wife, she introduced me to a new way to live. Nahuel, we cannot undo what we are; we have the instincts of killers, and we are driven by blood-lust. But we can choose to be better, to be as merciful as we can. My family hunts animals exclusively, choosing to leave humans in peace and forge a life among them. You may choose to eat human food, or hunt animals yourself for blood. There is always a choice, even if it isn't easy."

Nahuel remained silent, his teak eyes fixed with wonder upon Jasper's face. He was mulling his words over carefully, the sorrow and guilt abating to a more tolerable level. Distantly, he could hear Alice speaking softly to someone, likely Huilen.

"Is it easy for you?"

Jasper shook his head, "I was created to fight wars in the South. After so many years of bloodshed and battle, it's difficult to live in a peaceful frame of mind. But it is _worth it_. I feel better about myself."

Foosteps began approaching, three distinct gaits rapidly progressing towards their position. Smiling as he recalled it, Jasper recited a quote that often steadied him in difficult moments.

"There is an author, Nahuel, named Victor Hugo. He once said, 'To rise from error to truth is rare and beautiful.' If we fail, now and again, we may choose to rise, to find our true way. Even darkness gives way to beauty."

Nahuel smiled slightly, "I like this Hugo person."

"As do I."

Alice led the trio through the trees to the clearing near the waterfall, its dull roar and mists accenting their arrival in a scene befitting a film. With a confident smile, Alice gestured to the group, her tiny limbs trembling with energy.

"Now we are all together, I can thank you all at once for helping us. No matter what happens next, know that you have done something extraordinary. We should take some time to relax, perhaps hunt and keep our strength up. We have time."

"How much time?" Jasper asked.

"Less than I told the family initially. The Volturi have gathered more witnesses than they originally believed possible in a short time. We have a week to return to Forks."

"Why are we waiting here, then? Shouldn't we go to your family?" Kachiri asked.

Alice shook her head, "The only way this will work is if we return during the discussion. Each time I decide otherwise, my visions are not favourable," she concluded, intentionally vague so as not to worry Huilen and Nahuel, "We should set out in five days, pace ourselves slowly. We can always choose to dawdle in California."

"Five days," Jasper murmured, "They will feel impossibly long, Alice."

Alice shrugged, "Not if we make the most of them. Perhaps we can feel out the state of the wars in the South while we're here? Give the Volturi something else to do?"

Jasper frowned, "I'd rather not get too close, for understandable reasons..."

"Ticuna research, then?"

Jasper feigned a sigh of exasperation, "Ah, the life of a Cullen: forever studying."

"Ticuna," Huilen mused aloud, "I know these people. There is one descended from them who hunts alone. I can lead you to him, if you wish."

Alice beamed, "That would be wonderful. Lead the way!"

The group broke into a steady run, a slow pace for their kind as they cut further south, Huilen's braid bobbing wildly as she coursed into the lead. Alice felt Jasper's hand grasping hers, their fingers lacing together reflexively. The wildlife of the Rainforest, normally silent in the presence of their brand of predator, chirped, cawed, hissed and rumbled, a strange chorus that almost felt welcoming. Huilen hummed along, her delicate pitch weaving in and out between the different creatures' sounds.

"This is surreal," Alice whispered.

"It is the Ngen," Huilen stated, "They bless us on our journey. It is a good omen."

With all of her heart, Alice hoped Huilen was right.

* * *

It's Awards Season! While this story is not currently in the running for anything (that I know of), two of my other works are up.

**DELIRATIO is already nominated for Best Crossover at the Sparkle Awards, but nominations are still open in a few categories. Plus, there's voting to come! Go check it out:  
.**

**AND FOR YOU LOVELIES READING TATTOOS LIKE MILE MARKERS, it has been nominated for Best All Human story at the Moonlight Awards! Go see (and thank you 3):  
.com/**


	16. Discovered Attack

**_AN:_**

**_*gasp* Wait.... Wait, is that....? A update?_**

**_No kids, it's not a dream. I promised you I would come back, didn't I? It took much longer than I ever planned, and I am truly sorry for that. Life has been full of twists, many negative, and my muse took an extended vacation. _**

**_Since it's been so long, let's recap:_**

**_As per BD, Alice and Jasper have run off to fetch Peter and Charlotte, then seek out a hybrid as evidence for the Volturi showdown._****_Huilen and Nahuel have agreed to come with them, primarily because of Nahuel's guilt over killing his mother, and his horror at his father's army building. _****_Alistair has run from the Cullen home, terrified of being found out by Edward and to be there for Alice when the Volturi is done its massacre. He is, of course, still broken after losing Alice._****_Years ago in Calgary, Maria slaughtered a classmate of Jasper's - his singer, no less - to try and bait him back to the dark side. Even today, she still wants him back._****_The wars in the South are raging like the days of Jasper and Maria._****_Jasper and Alice had a VERY nice time in the river. I bes jealous. Also, sloths know how much bras cost._**

**_Ready, kids? This is where things get much more... original. We'll get to that pesky return to Forks eventually..._**

**_Thanks and love, as always, to sarawithouttheh. My life has been incomplete without your pink text. And thank you to everyone who's stuck around, waiting patiently._**

* * *

It had been a long and fruitless five days spent in the lush Amazon. Alice had frequently found herself longing to call home, to reach out to Bella, the one person she could trust to be safe from Edward's gifts, if only to hear a friendly voice. But to do so risked distracting the family from the preparations necessary for the battle of wits that awaited with Aro and his entourage. It was a risk Alice could not afford to take, no matter how her heart was breaking.

They'd traced Huilen's solitary Ticuna elder, a man introduced only as _Nuno_, near the shore of the Solimones River. To Alice's dismay, the frail old man could offer no new insights into hybrids, only the barest sketch of a legend about their existence. He had spoken of the _Libishomen_ and their predilection for beautiful women, and the often disastrous results of their lust. Huilen had excused herself, reminded of Pire, retreating to quietly reflect at the water's edge. Jasper had reached out to her there, offering his sympathy, and in spite of her previous fear of his gift, she had beseeched him to 'wash the pain from her blood.' They had forged a strong bond from that moment forward, as Huilen picked his brain in an attempt to better understand Nahuel's self-hatred, and how to reassure him.

_She loves him as her son: unconditionally, and without regard for her own needs_, Alice often mused, her own attentions drawn to Nahuel and his development, charting her niece's future. Seven years… If they were able to keep her safe, keep the family intact, Renesmee would be an adult in a mere seven years. _One more Cullen to matriculate endlessly!_ Alice thought to herself, shuddering as she pictured the square caps that were the thorn in her fashionable side every four years. If they were to survive the Volturi's visitation, Alice knew that the family would have to reconsider their family tree as presented to the outside world. The plausibility of seven foster children plus the lone Quileute that would inevitably follow their every move was too much for even gullible humans to buy into.

These were the thoughts that Alice busied herself with now: optimistic visions of a future where the Cullens loved and laughed, travelled and roamed. They were what kept her sane.

Jasper, in his own way, sought out similar distractions. Their nights were filled with intense lovemaking under the stars, a desperate hunger permeating every caress upon her pale flesh. Her body pained each time his hands left her skin, as if each cell were prematurely mourning the absence of his touch. He didn't need to vocalize his emotions; his persistent waves of love in her presence were silent prayers for mercy in the face of calculated cruelty. For all their pseudo-religiosity, Alice knew that such prayers fell upon deaf ears when it came to they who presided over their kind. Jasper knew this as well, had witnessed their lack of compassion first-hand during the Southern Wars. Neither of them would admit this aloud.

"Alice?"

Alice turned, the skirt of her dress swishing lightly against her thighs, a smile creeping reflexively across her lips, "Jazz."

He offered a slight smile in return, his eyes a warm shade of gold, "It's time, isn't it?"

She nodded, running her tiny hand through her hair, "No better time than the present. We'll hover half a day outside Washington State, then move in as the Volturi arrive."

"Will they come to the house?" Jasper asked quietly.

"No, the family and the witnesses are taking it to the clearing where we fought the newborns. I saw Emmett and Edward discussing strategy with the Denalis." Alice paused, rechecking her visions. "They'll be okay at first; Bella's mastered her shield enough to cloak the group. I don't know how long she can hold it, being a newborn, but she's always surprised us. She's stronger than they think."

Jasper smiled, "If she can resist human blood within minutes of her awakening, she's stubborn enough to fight back."

"She's stubborn enough to put up with Edward's bullshit, Jazz; she's a superwoman, as far as I'm concerned," Alice giggled.

Nodding, Jasper pressed his lips lightly against her forehead, inhaling her scent deeply, "I love you, Mrs. Whitlock."

Her arms threw themselves about his waist of their own accord, clinging to his frame as she whispered hoarsely, "I love you so much. My soul entered this world, destined for you."

"Going Team Carlisle, are we?"

"When it comes to us? Absolutely," Alice affirmed, burying her face in his shirt. "Where are our companions?"

"A few miles away, tidying up their last meal, from the smell on the wind," Jasper replied quietly. "Kachiri will bring them shortly, although it doesn't matter, really. We're going to have to split up."

Alice frowned, pulling away, "What do you mean, 'split up?'"

Jasper sighed, "A pack of five vampires, travelling through the South as the armies are chafing each other? It looks like new kids looking to stake their claim on the block, as it were. And the last thing we need right now –"

"- Is another fight. I didn't even consider that, Jazz. What's wrong with me?"

"You have a lot on your mind, Alice. It's okay."

Alice groaned, kicking the earth beneath her foot, creating a hole two feet deep in her frustration, "I can't afford to make mistakes! I can't miss a single factor in this situation! There's far too much on the line now, far too many lives in my hands. And I know that we need the wolves, more than ever, but I _can't see past them_. I can't tell if we're walking into discussion or a disaster, or what move means massacre of everyone we've ever known and loved. Jazz, what if-?"

His fingers pressed to her lips firmly, hushing her, "Alice, please; calm down a bit, okay? You aren't going to be blamed if anything goes wrong. No one expects you to be perfect."

"I do," she whispered. "My family… I can't lose you. I won't."

"You won't lose me. I'm here," he replied, pressing his palm against her silent heart. "And I carry you in mine."

Alice sighed deeply, pulling away to gaze up at the midday sun trickling through the rainforest canopy. _A glimmer of light. Like a glimmer of hope in a dire situation. I can't see anything beyond the next thirty-eight hours. What if they're our last?_ Footsteps in the distance – perhaps two miles – signalled the approach of their companions, and Alice felt Jasper's hand reach out to grip her shoulders tightly.

"We couldn't see the outcome of the newborn fight. We've flown blind before, Alice."

Alice shook her head, "I could still see the wedding. I knew we'd all live."

"But we couldn't know what choices we needed to make to stay on that course in that moment. At least we know their strategy, their head game. We could defeat them without your gifts," Jasper assured her. "Please, Alice? I can't hold onto hope alone."

In her mind, she could see Bella's convulsing form as the venom coursed her veins, her eyes shut as if what she could not see would not burn her alive from the inside. She could see, through Nessie's gifts, the cracking bones and torn sinew. A mortal woman, so petite and slight, and she had done what, according to Nahuel, so many had not: Bella had survived the birth of her hybrid child. If there was such hope and power possible through sheer determination, then perhaps now, she could hope as well.

"Alice?" Jasper asked quietly, his eyes glancing towards where Kachiri now stood, her elongated frame posed against a towering trunk, absently running her fingers along the bark.

Smiling softly, Alice's hand reached to cover his upon her arm, "Together, then."

"Miss Alice," Kachiri boomed, grinning, "Are we off?"

Alice nodded, forcing herself to be confident, "We are, indeed, off to Forks. But not all together – at least, not until we reach the United States."

"Not together?" Huilen asked, emerging from the thickly populated forest to the west. Nahuel matched her stride, his head held high for perhaps the first time since Alice had laid eyes upon him. His jaw was granite, his fingers curling and uncurling at his sides.

"It's a very involved and messy story, but for simplicity's sake, a large group of vampires travelling together is seen as a challenge for a war in the South. For all our safety, Jasper believes it best we break into groups. Kachiri, since you three are not on our 'special diet'," Alice quipped, "Would you bring Nahuel and Huilen through Mexico to the border? Arizona checked out nicely when I played out the options."

"Of course, Miss Alice," Kachiri agreed, "We shall cut through the mountains; there is a way, unpopulated save for a few native tribes. It's half a day's journey, that way."

"We'll take the shoreline to the west," Jasper decided. "Close, but different enough that we won't be noticeable. We should all arrive shortly before dawn at the border."

Alice nodded, "Give our take, that sounds right. We'll take shelter somewhere near the border, then cross into Arizona tomorrow night."

"And it will be safe?" Huilen asked nervously.

"Aunt-mother, worry not," Nahuel urged.

Alice smiled gently at Huilen, "It's okay, Nahuel; I'd want to ask that of me if I were her. Yes, it's safest. My visions see us reaching the border of Washington State, far beyond the Southern territories and their warring. It will be fine."

Huilen nodded, "Thank you. Shall we begin our journey?"

With a look up at Jasper, Alice steeled herself for what lay ahead. _This will not be a fair fight… Good thing we don't have to play entirely fair. _A thin beam of sun danced along the earth to the north, as if nature itself were saying, 'It's time.'

"We've kept our family waiting long enough. Jazz, let's go home."

* * *

His skin glittered in the beams of light that captured him, if only fleetingly, his body racing through the peaks and valleys of what was now called the Sierra Madre Oriental. There was something maddening to him about humans and their customs for naming places, and how often they conflicted with their sickening politically correct niceties. Often, he tried to picture what life would be like, were he living alongside the humans in this era of time, and each time, he shuddered and wretched.

Life as a predator was far more real, more honest.

He almost didn't notice the scent of the strangers, so lost he was in the thirst that drove him towards a group of mortals nearby – perhaps five of them, rich warmth pulsing in their little arteries and veins. A shift of the wind, a dusting of debris dancing about him and he froze, his earthy scented trail disrupted by the cloying sweetness of his kind. One in particular reminded him of raw vanilla plants and lilies; the other radiated an earthy musk with hints of cinnamon and pine. Curious, he abandoned his prey momentarily, shifting his course west until he reached the highest peak of the range, his eyes seeking visual confirmation of his discovery.

They ran in the distance, following the shoreline methodically. They made a strange pair, this tiny child-like female and her towering, lanky mate. Mates, they were, he knew; they instinctively moved as a unit, their hands grazing frequently as they travelled in haste. A glimmer of a memory struck him then, and he pursued them, matching their progress as he detailed these unfamiliar vampires in a mental checklist. He'd had a penchant for remembering endless facts in his mortal life, some thirty years ago; this had grown more precise in his new life, his mind a dizzying repository of dates, faces, names and events. His mistress kept him as her historian, forever inquiring who had wronged her as they entered battle. She never forgave, and with him at her side, she never forgot. It was what had preserved his place at her side, far beyond the typical lifespan of her toys.

With a satisfied nod, he ran north, cutting a thick swath to avoid detection. She would be very pleased with the fruits of his accidental reconnaissance, and with her pleasure came his own. He would never surpass Alejandro in her ruby eyes, but second place was enough for him. _For now, anyway_, he mused, snickering. He'd been through enough years at her side to know she would soon grow fickle and pluck Alejandro's head from his shoulders as if it were a tomato on a sun-drenched vine.

His speed carried him easily to the border, past lazy border patrol guards distracted by cars and their trunks, past towns and cities through well-worn and secret pathways to El Paso. The familiar scent of the long ago dead greeted his nostrils as he coursed through the acres of land surrounding a small flat, its shingles worn, its porch reeking of dried blood, bovine and human. Upon it stood his mistress, her lips curled into a strange smile.

"Carlos," she purred delicately, "Your eyes remain dark. Why have you returned to me so thirsty?"

"I saw something I felt might please you," he murmured.

The petite raven-haired vampire smiled, closing her eyes. "Paint me a picture, precious one…"

His words spilled forth quickly, the tiny female and her companion piquing his mistress' interest immediately. Her eyebrow raised, her teeth glowing in the darkness as she grinned, nodding her head excitedly. Her lashes fluttered as she gazed upon him, reaching out to caress the milky coffee of his cool skin.

"You have gifted me, my pet, with grand news. They move again… I wonder: what drives them to the South and back? Surely, something larger than recreation drives their actions…"

"So, it was they? The ones you seek?" Carlos asked excitedly.

"Yes," she murmured, "They are simply asking for trouble."

"Shall I track them, Maria?"

She shook her head side to side, black waves tumbling in the breeze, "The seer will know of it. No, not yet; we need more information…" With a lick of her lips, she gazed over his left shoulder, winking. "… And here it comes now. Alejandro! What do the little town criers tell us tonight?"

Carlos forced his expression to remain neutral as the muscular, dark creature stalked closer, his lips meeting Maria's with a forceful kiss. _Live it up, newborn; you are a child, and Maria prefers her playmates young. Your time will run out, soon enough._ Tossing his long hair back, Alejandro seized her hand, spinning her about him on the porch in a strangely sinister dance.

"The Volturi, it would appear, are headed to the northwest. They gather friends as they move. Many whisper of a coven of vampires with golden eyes. That tickles my memory, somehow," he grinned, winking.

Maria laughed, "Oh, my! I would run as well, if I were Jasper and his mate. Surely, he didn't need a seer to know the outcome of such a battle. No one withstands the Volturi without offering them eternal servitude."

"I wager it will be offered, if only for Aro's amusement. We know how he loves his shiny baubles," Alejandro mused. "But enough of his wants; what does my queen desire?"

"You know what shiny toy I wish for: the one stolen from me, so many years ago," Maria hissed. Her fingers dug into the splintered wooden handrail of the porch, boring holes through the narrow beams.

"Shall we claim it?"

Carlos found himself mesmerized by Maria's furrowed brow, her fingers twitching faintly, as she often did while preparing for a raid. If this Jasper possessed a seer, how would they possibly capture him alive? Wouldn't his mate forewarn him? Her fingers running through her thick waves, Maria nodded, eyes trained to the horizon, where the sun's first rays peeked through the cloudy sky.

"It is time," she whispered, almost giddy.

"Will she not see us coming, my love?" Alejandro asked, tilting his head slightly.

With a sinister chuckle that strangely aroused Carlos, Maria retreated into the ramshackle house.

"That's half the fun, dear pet. Let the games begin…"

* * *

_Review, PLEASE. Keep me on this writing path!_

_The next chapter, fyi, is a flashback... A very fun one..._

_Follow me on Twitter: casket4myfanfic_


	17. Anticipation

**AN: **

**There; that was a little faster than last time, thankfully.**

**This one's pretty short, and a flashback, but it should tie up a key loose end that weaves everything together nicely. The next chapter, for those longing for him, features Alistair after his departure from the Cullen home. **

**As always, Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight; I own not enough time to write.**

* * *

_Juarez, Mexico. Summer 2005_

"Do you see them?"

The fiery hair of her companion rustled in the warm desert breeze as she quickly scanned the group of male workers at a desolate bus stop, their simple lunch boxes clinking at their sides. She nodded, licking her lips hungrily as she crouched lower still behind the oblong boulder that concealed them. Twilight was nearing, and the sky burned with a radiant orange hue that complemented her mane. The slight brunette gestured beyond them, shaking her head admonishingly.

"No. _Them_."

Her pupil eyed her quizzically, staring out across the sands, eyes roving until they settled upon the subject of the lesson. Nodding furiously, she hissed in delight.

"The women…"

"In this town, women die often. Women who work these factory shifts take great risks in their voyage. They are seldom missed. Men, on the other hand, draw police investigation. Men are strength. Sexism is deliciously helpful for us. Women trust us, much to their own downfall. In Juarez, I only target them."

The redhead huffed, "Typical. Women are second-rate creatures. Objects."

"All humans are objects, dear Victoria. Vessels. Chalices. And I am always parched."

They stood in silence briefly, before weaving their way along the coursing dirt roads, the two women keeping a safe distance (_Safe!_) from the men unaware of the fate that preyed upon them. With synchronicity, they stealthily approached from behind, the brunette calling for aid in Spanish. Curious, the women drew closer, hands extended to the devils crafting their demise.

Their necks were broken before they could inhale the air to scream for help.

They drank quickly, dragging the fresh carcasses from the road in a flurry unnoticed by men too self-absorbed and self-congratulatory to mind. The manager within their circle was a new father, and their festive chortling drowned out the whooshing of vampire speed. Nestled behind their boulder, the brunette began to dig a shallow grave.

"Tear their dresses and panties," she instructed her companion.

"Why?"

"It gives the police an easy conclusion," she sneered.

With a sinister grin, the redhead made quick slashes in the garments of the young Latinas, their ages no more than sixteen, and the brunette rolled them into the sandy hole she'd created. Kicking dirt over their still-warm corpses, she dusted her hands off upon her black skirt and sighed.

"I am sorry, again, for your pain, dear heart. A mate is never easily lost."

"For all of his flaws, James was mine, and I his." Her ruby eyes narrowed, her memories wandering to another time and place. "But I will have my revenge, thanks to your guidance. I could never have dreamt an idea so clever in my anger, Maria. I owe you."

"From one woman scorned to another, wisdom," Maria replied, gesturing towards the American border. "The Cullens and I have a long history, and were I not so passionate about my beloved territories, I would have sought them out myself long ago. That, and the effort to evade their gifts isn't worth the sacrifice of the feasting. But you, Victoria… You have lost a mate, over a _mortal_." Maria spat venom as they raced along the dusty valley, "And for that, each and every one of them should suffer."

Victoria's eyes darkened, "And they will. I will make her watch them die in her name, as James died for her. And then, _then_… I will spend weeks with my new pet. She will understand suffering. She will know the agony of losing a love. She will break inside, long before I allow her body to breathe its last."

"I doubt you not, sister," Maria affirmed, "But you have much yet to learn about their gifts, and the rearing of an army. Luckily for you, I know much of both. The Seer – Alice – is the key. Evade her, and they will not see it coming until far too late. Their tracking is lazy at best; they rely on her visions. Blind her, and blind them all."

Victoria snarled, silently seething. _Alice… For one so tiny, she looms large in both of our lives_, mused Maria. She had kept Jasper from her, kept him from the world he was made for, the home he'd abandoned through misguided allegiance to that… _peace-monger_ Peter, so many years ago. Jasper was more than her mate; he was her match. He was the soul of her operation, the spirit that fuelled her drive for power and the object of her desires. But Alice's sins against Victoria cut to the bone, and Maria couldn't possibly demand she leave the brat alive for her own revenge.

_To be created as a replacement for a singer… To live in the suffocating shadow of that reminder… But to love, all the same… _Maria shook her head in disgust. _James did Victoria wrong, but Alice's very existence is a travesty that long should have been remedied. And now, it will be… And my hands will be clean_.

"How?"

The question jolted Maria from the delicious mental image of Alice's head being torn from her child-like body, the voice audible only to those with vampire hearing.

"How _what_?"

Victoria halted suddenly, her chest heaving with emotion. If Maria had a true sense of empathy, of concern, she might reach out a hand to this woman now, caress her arm and reassure her in her obvious grief. Maria's hand did reach out, but it was a façade; it was calculated strategy that drove the gesture, which was received as intended.

"How do I avoid being seen by one who sees the future?"

Maria nodded, "I made study of the Cullens for six months, several years ago. Alice, as you can imagine, drew my particular attention. I noticed that, although I sought out her mate, she didn't seem to notice my presence in Calgary until I actively chose to confront Jasper. It dawned on me that her vision is finite, in spite of its vastness. I held a mortal girl captive for some time, debating what to do with her, whether or not to summon Jasper to me, whether or not I would offer her to him. In spite of my being right under their noses, on campus, it wasn't until I _decided_ that all seemed to unfold for her. Therein lies the weakness in her precious gift, Victoria: until a decision is made, until one chooses a path, she sees nothing."

"But how can I possibly conceal my desire to slaughter every last fucking one of those _freakish_ monsters, who prize _mortals_? How can I not boil with the fury that makes my flesh crawl? It's impossible, Maria, to cool this thirst. It drowns out even bloodlust."

Maria smiled, "Dear girl, they _know_ you want to destroy them! Alice doesn't need her personal gypsy crystal for that. What they're watching for is for you to choose to attack. And _that timing_ is what you _can_ conceal, what can be wavered upon. And while you waver, you build…"

Victoria licked her lips, "An army… Little newborn lambs with which to slaughter…"

"Ah, but first, you need to remember the two key bases of an army: first, a reliable lieutenant… And here is mine…"

The females turned towards the rapidly approaching gait of a young male known in his mortal life as Juan Estrada, Maria smiling as his copper-tinged skin glistened in the last remains of sunlight, his body strong, rippling with muscle from his living time. Turned at the strapping age of nineteen, she'd found him newly paroled from jail, having served time for murdering a classmate in San Diego for stealing his girlfriend. Murder pleased him, and controlling a herd of warm, flush humans pleased him all the more. He embraced her upon arrival, kissing her forehead lightly.

"You missed the fun. We only lost one during training today. Vicious ending, the little one met."

"I told you she didn't have enough instinct," Maria replied, a lilt of amusement in her tone. "Where is Carlos?"

"In Texas, with the children."

"Excellent. Would you head on without us, and ask him about his new strategy he mentioned to me?" Maria cooed. "Victoria and I need a little more girl time."

Juan nodded, grinning as he pressed his lips to the top of her right hand, caressing it with his thumb, "Your wish, especially if a bloody one, is my command."

Victoria's eyebrow raised slightly as Juan made quick work of slipping over the border into Arizona, unseen by the weak eyes of mortal border patrols. Maria's face remained expressionless, her fingers drumming lightly along her left thigh. _Like a rabbit_, she thought silently, her attention returning to her protégé.

"Maria?"

"Mmm?" _My, he is pretty when he runs_…

"Carlos seems older than most in your employ."

Maria nodded, "He is the most useful. I expect he'll be with me for many years to come."

"Is he the second base, then?"

Maria shook her head, chuckling, "No, he is not. But he will effect that base rule shortly."

Victoria tilted her head, the winds picking up, swirling dust around her slick leather boots as her hair drifted across her face. On a human woman, it would be sensual; now, such a look was only deadly.

"Which is?"

Maria turned towards her, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "One must always have a trusted lieutenant; this is a truth I established early on, when my sisters grew ambitious. But remember this well, Victoria, no matter what else may come: just because one is trusted does not mean one isn't expendable. In fact, a lieutenant _should_ come with an expiration date. Even the sweetest milk curdles eventually."

Victoria laughed, shaking her head, "He's about to die, then?"

"As soon as he utters the code to Carlos."

Victoria's eyes gleamed as night finally befell them, the first glistening hints of starlight high above them, "I think we shall be great friends, Maria."

"Yes, Victoria. We shall."

_Friend, indeed_, Maria echoed inwardly. _ An expendable one_...

* * *

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**This will be my last canon multi-part fanfiction. Bittersweet, but necessary.... Enjoy the ride while you can.**


	18. Tarrasch's Rule

**AN: **

**You know that expression, 'shit hits the fan'? **

**Next chapter. Just one more set of loose ends to tie up, and then, we're looking at a few rather long chapters ahead...  
**

**As always, Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight; I own not enough time to write. Lewis Carroll owns the excerpts from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Emilie Autumn, an amazing musician, is related to the real Alice who inspired Lewis. I recommend her songs Swallow and Shalott for this chapter.  
**

* * *

_Topeka__, __Kansas__ December 29th._

He'd run first to North Dakota, razing the small cabin that was his home at least three months of the year, lest the Cullens pursue him. He was certain that their pressing matters and the training of an unwieldy army of talented nomads would deter them, but, as he'd learned when Carlisle had managed to find him, one couldn't be too careful. He'd changed clothing, switching into a thick green cable-knit sweater, white dress shirt and black slacks, lest he have to cross paths with a mortal. The fire burning brightly in the early dawn, he'd fled next to Idaho, where he kept another, similarly abandoned home, to consider his strategy.

The Volturi would come, and soon; this was a certainty. Alice and Jasper had fled for their lives, suggesting that perhaps the mission was specifically to acquire Alice and her potent gifts. There had been no trail to follow directly from Forks; their flight into the waters had likely been a means of preventing the pursuit of their adopted family. The clues he had to work with were the appearance of Peter and Charlotte, hailing from California, and their mumbling of the couple perhaps continuing south, as well as the arrival of the South American pair.

Any direction was better than none, he supposed. South was a start.

Alistair had decided that he would attempt to pursue Alice and Jasper from a distance, while maintaining an ear to the ground, keeping tabs on the fate of the Olympic coven and their supporters. If things turned grave – and how could they not? – it was best he be able to forewarn them of any further action against them. His fatherly instincts had engaged the moment he'd set foot inside the Cullen home, Alice's face reminding him of the love and concern he'd struggled to bury beneath his sorrow for decades.

_No one will touch her. I won't suffer her coming to harm. I lost her once, or believed I had. I refuse to lose her now._

Tracking the flight path of the couple, he'd crossed towards the centre of the country, running into a pair of vampires in southern Nebraska on a hunt. They spoke of being summoned by Alec, one of the wickedest of the Volturi guard, to witness a trial to be held soon. They'd reluctantly agreed, travelling with the guard and wives, remaining in the central states until they were to be retrieved by Demetri. _Demetri…_ The name itself ignited a fiery rage within Alistair, and only confirmed his worst fears about the Italians and their plans. He would find Alice, no matter where she might run. It was only a matter of time, and this 'Makenna' and 'Charles' seemed to believe the end was drawing very near; the hold up was the gathering of American nomads to fill out those called to witness.

The sun now setting, Alistair cut through the outskirts of Topeka, making his way southeast towards Texas, where he aimed to slip over the border into Mexico by sunrise. South America pulled at him in particular. Logically, one would expect that after sending along Zafrina and Senna to Forks, the young couple would move on, leave the Americas entirely for Australia, Antarctica even. However, his gift beseeched him to begin in Brazil, and for that reason, he stayed his course.

Felling a pair of elk as he approached the border of Oklahoma, Alistair surged through the hills and forests, mindful of the scattering of die-hard hikers and their possible discovery of him. Although vampire speed was of great use in times such as these, a small part of him mulled the conveniences of learning to drive and assimilating, as the Cullens had, if only to be rid of the annoying necessity of covert travel. His worn leather satchel slapped against his back as he made haste, reaching the northern border of Texas in a scant few hours in spite of a lack of cover.

It was there that he met his first truly lucky break.

The copper-skinned vampire was hunting a group of teenagers parked in a deserted lot behind a warehouse when Alistair first caught his scent. As painful as he found it, he approached cautiously, under the guise of friendly social interest. He was tall and lean, perhaps six foot three, with a gentle rippling of muscles framed by his wife beater and jeans. His long hair fell loosely around his face as he drank his victim, a petite blonde of no more than seventeen. A guttural noise emerged from his throat at Alistair's approach, to which he raised his hands, nodding.

"Worry not; I'm not interested in your meal," Alistair said quietly. "I caught your scent while passing through. I haven't seen any of our kind in a while and," Alistair swallowed hard at his lie, "I was starved for chatter."

The lanky one, who could not have been more than twenty at Alistair's best guess, dropped the limp body, brushing away stray droplets of blood with his fist as he smiled warily. The ruby streaks glistened beneath the jaundiced beam from the streetlight overhead.

"There is plenty of our kind just south of us," he said, "Although they generally do not talk. They kill and war. Where do you hail from?"

"Ireland," Alistair replied, "I ventured here six months ago. I grow weary of the northern states. I was looking for something warmer, but war is not something I wish to be part of. Why do they fight?"

"Why else?" The young man smirked, stepping forward. "Blood. The herds. Although, it hasn't been this bad in decades, not since Maria last lay siege to the scurrying populace of Mexico. Her new lieutenant is almost as vicious as the one she had back in her greatest time."

Alistair's tracking senses heightened at this information. _Maria. I do not know a Maria. And yet… This is important, somehow._ Extending his hand, he introduced himself to the young vampire.

"Alistair. How far do these wars extend?"

"Julio," the male replied. "Beyond Brazil lies the scant few nomads that remain. Most have aligned with a coven for safety, although doing so carries the inherent risk that the Volturi will eradicate them when they descend once more. And they will; the word is that they've crossed to this continent to deal with a coven uprising in the north."

_Uprising, huh?_ Alistair mused. _More like a misunderstanding utilized to the guard's covetous advantage._ Running a hand through his dark locks, Alistair gestured to the south.

"Do you bear allegiance to a coven?"

"I do not fight, although my sister does. Her coven watches over me when I travel. I fear for her. Maria… She is vicious. Sadistic. Worse than she was with that other one… Jasper, I believe he was called."

Alistair struggled to remain calm, knowing if he had a heart, it would be racing, as he recalled Carlisle's words.

"_That's our Alice and her husband Jasper. They're the two that adopted us almost 60 years ago. Strange how her visions carried her to perfect strangers, especially given her complete loss of memory. I just hope they're alright, wherever they are..."_

"Is there safe passage through, then?" Alistair asked, guarded.

"As long as you do not hunt and move quickly, you will be ignored," Julio replied. "Do not linger among the humans. Move through the Madre."

Alistair felt the strain of contact weighing upon him heavily. He needed to move, to be free. This nomad had given him all he desired and more. There was something very important about this Maria and her blood wars, something that had yet to fall into focus. With a smile, Alistair gestured to the east with a slight jerk of his head.

"I should hunt well then, before proceeding over the border. Thank you, friend, for the wisdom. I wish you well, should the Volturi come to pry and chide."

"Let them come," Julio snarled. "We shall show them our strength. No matter what the covens here have done, none have been as deceitful as the high and mighty Volturi. They should not speak of right and wrong. A good hunt to you, Alistair."

With a brief nod in respect and gratitude, Alistair made his way southeast, in search of a place to rest and evaluate his next move. Had Jasper sought protection for Alice with this Maria, perhaps? An army was a mighty resource when the Volturi came to call. Or perhaps… Alistair smiled, confident in his newer assumption.

Distraction. Jasper was not a fighter now, but he would know that Demetri would follow… And, upon discovering the intensity of the blood feuds in Mexico, he would be forced to give pause, summoning his brethren to chide the misguided newborns and their creators. One could not run from Demetri forever, but it would buy precious time. Yes; this was much more likely than pledging allegiance to lethal forces.

As Alistair wove towards the Mexico border, his enhanced sight detected the faint rays of sunrise cutting through the darkened skies. _Time to hide_, he mused. No sense in rushing and risking exposure in the volatile state. Ten miles along, he located a small office building slated for demolition, its perimeter fenced with decrepit metal signs, bent and faded. Obviously, no one had cared for this structure in some sign, which made it perfect for his refuge. A simple running leap propelled him expertly over onto the browning grasses and rocky soil, his palms bracing his fall as he landed in a crouch. Stepping into the empty space, Alistair looked about with disdain at the dirty floor, finally choosing to perch upon the remnants of a black leather computer desk chair. His hands dove inside his satchel, withdrawing a book and clutching it tightly against his chest as if it were a talisman. With a look of sad reverence, he opened the cover, and began to read.

**"Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, `and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice `without pictures or conversation?'"**

_A river. It coursed towards the east, drifting north. That scent he knew so well wafted faintly in his nose as he ran at a human pace, his extensive injuries still struggling to weave themselves into fresh sinew and bone._

_"__Alice__?" He called again, in desperation._

_There was nothing, save the odd touch against a rock or a tree, not even footprints. He could not even sense the Hunter, which troubled him. What was his strategy? What was this new game?_

_"I never should have left you…"_

**"…So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her…"**

_She was so close, and yet, gone. Not a single trail to follow, nor any vision or instinct upon which he could rely. His gift was weakened as his body, and his growing frustration with being so blind when it was now that he most needed to see had sealed the fate of two large oak trees which now lay in splinters near the shore._

_He'd lost her. The Hunter had won._

_He fell by the water's edge, his body wracked with silent sobs, the searing pain in his torso and limbs no match for the grievous loss of self that came with the realization of his ultimate failure. Carlisle Cullen was wrong; how could there be a God, if he would allow __Alice__ to suffer all that she had endured, both as a mortal and as one of their kind? And she had known it all, and loved him all the same. She had not ever judged him, even though she sensed his true nature. And how had he repaid her loyalty? A surely painful death._

_"Dear Alice, I never should have let you tumble down this hole after me," he whispered hoarsely. _

He read on, the faint chirping of crickets accenting his murmured recitation. He'd read the chapters so many times he could recite the tales by rote, but her delicate fingers had once touched the aged paper, and it was that connection he sought out now, not Carroll's whimsical world.

He had a second chance now. He couldn't afford to waste the opportunity to protect her, as a father should. His long fingers flipped the page, revealing the photo he'd lifted from her dresser at the Cullen home, her smile seemingly reassuring him, as she'd done that day when the Hunter had appeared on the asylum grounds, thirsty and hateful.

He averted his eyes to the pages, a solemn pledge escaping his lips, "I'll find you, Alice. This time, I will…"

**"In another moment down went ****Alice**** after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again…."**

**

* * *

**

_Roswell__, __New Mexico__ December 30th_

He'd made his way east, choosing the desertion of New Mexico as a means of reaching El Paso with greater haste, allowing himself more freedom to utilize the gift of speed bestowed upon his kind. He'd made steady work of the miles, setting out late in the afternoon at a more moderate pace, finding himself at this, the place of mortal legend, by dinner hour.

His gift drew him towards the border near Juarez, for reasons he'd yet to comprehend. Perhaps it was because it lay near an area of murders, and thus, seemed a likely refuge for one such as Maria? Whatever the reason, he'd caught glimpses of himself satisfied, successful, near El Paso, and this led him forward now.

Cautiously, he coursed further south, avoiding the scant areas of heavy civilization, a sense of dread at the calendar date. Aro had a sick sense of humour; he felt that the strike upon Olympia would be very soon, perhaps New Year's Day. _Wiping the slate clean for the new year… Yes, he would see it so_. His memories of burning, of plummeting from that mountain top so many years ago, remained a gaping wound as he feared a similar punishment for the imagined transgressions of the Cullens. _Jane will stoke the flames herself, giggling in that wretched child-like voice of hers_, Alistair lamented.

And yet, he could not fault Edward for standing firm in his determination to protect his daughter and his mate, a mortal girl who, like Alice, had never feared them, but instinctively reached out, as if born for this miserable, lonely life. Destiny, he'd heard the young one call it, gazing lovingly upon the visage of the woman with tumbling mahogany locks. And perhaps it was, if such a thing were to exist-

_What is this?_

Alistair froze, inhaling deeply as a guttural noise rose within his throat. _Our kind. Two of them._ Their scents were strong, and permeated with another rich, coppery overtone. _Blood. They fed, very near this spot._ His mind whirled away, colours and light fading in and out, settling upon the bare outline of a petite, curvaceous female with long, streaming ebony hair, her eyes cruel and very, very crimson.

"Maria," he whispered. _It had to be_.

But she was not in Texas; the lush greens and snow-kissed trees bespoke a very different climate. Douglas Firs. Western Hemlocks. Oregon Ash. _Oregon__. _His stomach sinking as if it were a stone, Alistair snarled louder.

_She's looking for them._

Alice and Jasper had not abandoned their family. They'd left to find help. And now, it seemed, they longed to have their homecoming. But they were being pursued now, perhaps unknowingly, by a lethal force, one whose energy disturbed him more than that of the Hunter.

_I can't let her do this alone. I must warn her, at any cost. _

Without regard for the prying eyes of humans, without a sense of preservation, Alistair did what he did best of all:

Alistair ran.

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**Follow me on Twitter: casket4myfanfic**

**This will be my last canon multi-part fanfiction. Bittersweet, but necessary... Enjoy the ride while you can.**


	19. En Passant

_**AN:**_

_**Yes, it's been a long time, but I'm hoping this longer chapter, and the action it delivers, will make up for it a little bit?**_

_**As always, I'm just playing with SM's toys. I own the intellectual property of the plot points I've created.**_

_**This chapter contains a quote from Lewis Carroll's Through The Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.**_

_**When we last left off:**_

_**Alice, Jasper, Kachiri, Huilen and Nahuel were on their way to Forks via Arizona...**_

_**Alistair is pursuing them to protect them from two assailants...**_

_**Maria and Alejandro are stalking Alice and Jasper...**_

_**Oh yes, and we're about 24 hours from the Volturi showdown in Breaking Dawn! Ready? Go!**_

* * *

_December 30__th__, Eureka, California. _

"Alice?"

The slight female sat cross-legged upon a particularly wide log, the trunk of a cedar hemlock felled by a lightning storm sometime in the past. The bark still emanated a faint scent of burnt pulp and rain water, a cache of wilted and crumbled leaves beneath it. Her eyes were closed, the lids fluttering slightly, butterfly wings.

A vision.

Jasper paced slowly, allowing her a moment to absorb the images flooding her mind. She'd been at it for at least an hour now, while they rested, killing time until the garish winter sun sought its slumber. Thus far, she'd gleaned something involving Bella and Rio, and that the battle's outcome was still a haze, meaning someone of the non-vampire persuasion would survive. Who, or how many, was anyone's guess, but it remained far better than the alternative, the original vision that Alice still refused to fully detail, simply shuddering and shaking her head whenever Jasper asked about it.

"Alice? Darlin'?"

A scrunching of her nose, a flutter, and then stillness. A calm befell Alice's face as her eyes opened, warm amber irises focusing immediately upon Jasper's concerned face. With a little nod, Alice extended her hand, Jasper pulling her to her feet.

"Tomorrow."

"Are you certain?"

Alice nodded, her face somber. "It's morning. The clearing where we fought the newborns is where they will assemble. The snow comes tonight, late evening."

Jasper contemplated this, "Then tomorrow, we face the Volturi."

"We should make sure we reach the Washington border by late night; we can't be too close, lest the Volturi see us. They have to-"

"Alice, come," Jasper whispered, opening his arms to her.

"-believe we're gone. If they suspect anything is up our sleeves, they won't bother to listen to their testimony long enough to ensnare them-"

Jasper pulled Alice sharply against him, his lips crashing against hers in a frantic kiss. Her stream of thoughts silenced, her body yielded beneath his touch, her arms gripping his hips as if they were all that tethered her to this plane. A husky noise in the back of Jasper's throat earned him a soft whimper as his hands slipped downward, cupping Alice's curves. Finding her soft thighs, he hoisted her upward, her legs instinctively wrapping around his frame as they kissed and nipped, Alice's teeth sinking gently into Jasper's lower lip, tugging playfully.

"I love you so fucking much," Jasper whispered, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"I love you," Alice murmured, "I belong to you."

"Damn right you belong to me!" Jasper growled. "And if any one of those goddamn bastards lays a finger on you, so help me-"

"Shh," Alice admonished him, clamping her hand over his mouth. "It will be okay. Bella's shield is a huge asset that none of us had guessed at. If everything is timed just so, it'll be okay, I think."

"You becoming the optimist now, Mary Alice?" Jasper asked through her fingertips.

"No… But I cannot even begin to fathom that this is the end for our family… for us. So I won't!" Alice's eyes twinkled as she tilted her head to the side. "We have company, sir. Kindly put me down and spare me flashing my panties?"

Reluctantly, Jasper released his wife to the ground, scant seconds before Kachiri , Huilen and Nahuel emerged from the forest nearby. Kachiri's eyes glowed with a furious crimson – she had fed well, Jasper knew instantly. The scent of human lingered upon her skin, blending with the cloying cinnamon and oak of her vampire essence. With a knowing grin, Kachiri pointedly glanced over Alice's rumpled dress, then winked at Jasper.

"The sun is sinking slowly now. Do we continue tonight?"

Alice nodded, "Tomorrow morning is the big day. We should make our way to the northern border of Oregon tonight, then determine our exact time to proceed. We may need to separate once there, for me to check my visions once more, but morning seems right."

"Very well, then," Kachiri replied. "Let us go."

Jasper instinctively took the lead, guiding Huilen and Nahuel through the edges of the town, avoiding the last rays of light that fell along the earth. Alice hung back, gesturing for Kachiri to do the same. The lanky Amazonian took her cue, pausing against a tree for a fraction of a second, her eyes narrowing.

"There is something you're not telling them, Miss Alice," Kachiri whispered.

Alice frowned, "I can't explain it, but I have this bad sense, this calling… Someone's been tracking us, Kachiri."

Kachiri exhaled through her razor teeth, a hissing of a vengeful snake preparing to strike. "You want me to be on guard?"

Alice nodded. "More importantly, I need you to promise me that you'll get the Mapuche to the gathering, no matter what. Our entire family is counting on their presence. Senna and Zafrina as well. Can you do this?"

"Alice?" Jasper called out. "Is there something wrong?"

He eyed her quizzically. He'd heard her speak, likely felt her unease, but didn't catch the rush of words exchanged behind him. But he knew there was something he ought to know. _And I'll tell him. But Huilen and Nahuel cannot know_.

"Just making sure Kachiri knows the way to the clearing, in case we're separated," Alice replied, straining to remain casual.

"Fear not; I will remember all you have said," Kachiri assured her, moving forward to join Huilen. "Tell me more of the Mapuche tradition, if you might. My own tribe's wisdom is long lost to my sisters and me…"

Alice darted ahead, rejoining Jasper as Kachiri engaged their guests in deep conversation, both to ease their fears and draw their attention away. With a grimace, Alice reached for Jasper's hand. He squeezed hers back, too tightly. _He knows something's wrong_.

"What is it?" Jasper mumbled angrily.

"Don't you feel it yourself?" Alice asked.

Jasper remained silent, a flood of worry and love washing over Alice's frame, a suffocating blanket of emotion. Alice concentrated on her own emotions, her fear, her sense of being watched, her unease that grew by the hour. She imagined herself a deer, not unlike the many she and her family had killed over the decades, imagined its pounding heart as it ran in futile desperation to evade. She envisioned its acceptance of its fate as teeth connected with jugular, its graceful body folding, origami-like, as it met with eternal sleep-

"We're being followed," Jasper snarled under his breath.

"I'm not sure. I couldn't see. Even with the distance, everything's fuzzy with Nahuel around," Alice replied softly. "Just be aware."

Jasper's eyes darkened, his fangs bare, "I will be more than aware, love. I will be ready."

* * *

_Reno, Nevada. One hour earlier._

There were seven of them on this course now, Alistair determined, moving almost carelessly through the cities and towns, gaining ground his only objective. They did not travel together; two vampires were lagging, their scents fresher, their movements less coordinated and more haphazard than the others. Not all of them were vampire, either; one of the older scents he'd encountered was 'off' in some way, almost too sweet. Perhaps it was some pet of the Volturi's, or some ability one of the guard possessed to foil their foes. He'd yet to identify it, but it was of less concern to him now.

Alice and Jasper's safety was tantamount.

For all of the distance he'd closed upon the travelers, he still felt far behind this Maria – and he knew in his core that she was one of the stragglers – and it would not do. To continue to pursue their exact course was pure folly. He knew where his once-daughter and her companion were moving towards; he could feel the pull of their actions, see glimpses of a raven-haired girl in a blue dress darting along the western shores of Oregon, her face vague but taut with concern. If Alistair were to run parallel with the course, and veer back later, perhaps it would be just enough of a difference to head off Alice and Jasper – or perhaps their pursuers.

_Yes. Yes, that will work_.

Alistair immediately course corrected, veering northeast towards the Oregon-Idaho border. He had not paused for a moment's rest in hours, and although vampires were said to never tire, to never need rest, the injuries suffered long ago at the Hunter's sadistic hands were a hindrance still, each joint the slightest bit stiff in a manner only a vampire would perceive. The burning of his stony flesh was only too easy to recall, fierce knives piercing his mind as memories haunted him daily. But none of this was on a par with the anguish of losing his Alice; that pain had no form, no shape. It simply _was_, and it devoured his willpower greedily, delighted by his heartache. The picture he held in his front pocket, the one of her with the hybrid child, had revived him; he would destroy anyone or anything that dared tear that feeling from his silent heart again.

"_Want to see a sneaky sort of trick, Queen Alice?"_

_Alice clapped her hands excitedly, eyes transfixed by the tiny pawns Alistair lined up in a row upon the board, "Ooh, I like tricks! Magic? Like rabbits from hats?"_

_Alistair chuckled, "Or pawns from seeming safety into your cache of little prisoners. Now, watch this. Suppose I move my pawn like so-" And with that, Alistair edged a black pawn three spaces forward, before a knight. "-And after two turns, there he is, ever closer to being queen. Now, perhaps white edges the end pawn up its proper two spaces that it's allowed on first move, so that they are side by side. It appears now that clever white, by moving two spaces instead of one, has avoided capture."_

"_Yes, he has. He's run away fast as his little non-legs shall carry him," Alice mused._

"_There is a special rule in this game, but it is only allowed right after a pawn moves two spaces," Alistair continued. "En passant – in passing – black may take that pawn anyway, but only on this next turn. He moves forward diagonally and snags the white pawn during the grand escape." With a flourish, Alistair moved the pieces, removing the white pawn and laying it aside._

"_That's so mean!" Alice exclaimed, then winked. "I like it very much. Start the game again; it is only time being taken now in passing. Let there be pawns now, as well."_

The sun began its descent overhead, fuchsia accents across a dank, grey sky above. He was running out of time. The glimpses and pulls from the stragglers were cloaked in inky darkness, frosty air. As the winds picked up, so did his pace.

_You think you're two steps ahead, that you have my Alice. Think again_…

* * *

_Olympia, Washington. Dec 31__st__, 5:38 a.m._

"We shouldn't go any further until sunrise," Jasper stated, gesturing to the forested area within which they now stood. "We risk crossing the Volturi's path if we venture closer to Forks at this juncture."

"Maybe not," Alice countered. "I would guess that they're already well within the park terrain, maybe even Mount Olympus itself. Aro would find it majestic," she added, snorting derisively.

"But we don't _know,_ Alice. We can't chance it," Jasper pleaded.

Then we'll venture a little away, clear my visions," Alice retorted, eyes drawn to the veil of snow shrouding the withered grass beneath her feet. "I don't want to be too far to intervene as we must. Just give me ten minutes-"

"May I interrupt?" Kachiri asked loudly, tapping her foot against the earth.

"What is it, Kachiri?" Jasper asked.

"If either of you were to direct your attention to sight and sound, you would clearly see that the Volturi and their guard – or some other mass of vampires far larger than a coven – passed through here last night. They are, as Alice believes, entrenched within the park." Huilen stifled a smirk as Kachiri gestured to the numerous imprints in the soft dirt. "Problem solved; may we continue now?"

Inhaling the violent blend of vampire scents, Alice giggled nervously as Jasper shook his head in disbelief at their ignorance. "Fucking hell, we're being careless. We've got to put our heads back in the game, strategize-"

"Jazz, give it a rest, for a moment at least? We've spent weeks searching, worrying, planning…" Alice placed a hand on Jasper's arm, sighing, "We need to make this easy on all of us tonight, because tomorrow will be the greatest test we've faced. Let's continue on into the southern reaches of the park, near Mount Skokomish. We can hunt a little."

"Might I hunt with you?" Nahuel asked softly. "Animals, I mean? If it's not a burden-"

"Of course it isn't!" Alice exclaimed. "You're all welcome to hunt with us, although I know Kachiri will decline."

"I'm a picky eater," Kachiri joked. "I prefer more standard fare."

"If I place a deer before you, young lady, you will clear your plate!" Alice laughed. "Come on, then; we can easily reach the border of Olympic National Park and rouse a few sleeping deer before daylight breaks."

The group gathered themselves from their resting place of the last few hours, veering northwest through darkened, quiet streets, the human world fast asleep on this, the last day of the year. Alice led the charge, hoping for her visions to clear, and perhaps reveal the reason for the sickness in her gut. Who could be following them, and how had they found them at all? Surely Aro had not sent Demetri ahead… had he?

_No. He would have destroyed Nahuel by now. He would understand the weighty consequences to this mission of acquisition that such proof would bring_.

"You're worrying again," Jasper said, pulling her from her troubling reverie.

"I'm missing something, Jazz. Something big. I wish I knew what to look for; it would help combat the fog Nahuel's presence brings," Alice sighed.

"If something is coming, if someone approaches, I will feel their emotions. You need to hunt now; you look somewhat parched."

"We hunted in the Madre," Alice protested.

"That was two days ago, and prior to that, you were worn down. Constant visions drain you, Alice," Jasper cautioned.

Alice sighed. _Damn him for being right_. Turning to Nahuel, she smiled wide.

"Are you ready for vegetarian gourmet?"

* * *

_Olympic National Park, Dec. 31__st__, 7:52 a.m._

It was the wind that betrayed the unknown watcher, drawing him from the shadows.

Jasper caught the scent first: a strange spice, earthy, not unlike cumin. It carried forth upon the wind as it shifted, whirling the accumulated snow into tiny twisters around their ankles. Huilen and Nahuel were distracted by it, having never seen a winter in their long lives. Kachiri explained seasons to them as Alice startled, her eyes locking with Jasper's. _She smells it too_, he understood, and nodded confirmation. Alice tugged a short lock of hair nervously, frustration furrowing her brow. With Nahuel near, she was nearly blind. To fight around him was far too difficult in a short period.

They needed to draw him out another way.

"Kachiri," Alice said softly, "What we discussed has come to pass."

With a stern expression, the Amazonian flipped into the trees overhead, scanning the area as she deftly and silently leapt from one to the next. With a grunt, she suddenly threw a large stone downward, striking the ground ten feet beyond the clearing's edge. Cover blown, the large male vampire emerged, a friendly yet tentative smile upon his lips. His copper skin glistened, long black hair flowing freely down his back. Were it not for his rich burgundy eyes, he may have passed for local Quileute.

That, and his animosity, which Jasper immediately sensed. _Play it cool and calm. _

"Greetings!" The male called out. "How fortunate to encounter more of our kind after such a long journey alone."

Instinctively, Kachiri flanked Nahuel, guarding the hybrid and his aunt. Alice edged closer to Jasper, equidistant from him and their companions. With a hurried look at her mate, Alice addressed the stranger.

"You seem out of place here. Far from home?"

The male nodded, flashing perfect white teeth in a forced grin that only further aroused Jasper's ire, "Escaping the wars of the southern lands is my intention." His accent struck a nerve, reminding Jasper of memories he longed to bury for good. "I am sorry for disturbing you. Is this territory claimed by your coven?"

"It is," Jasper hissed.

"Kachiri?" Alice asked. "Take them."

"Miss Alice, I refuse to leave you-"

"What's wrong?" Huilen whispered. "Who is this stranger?"

"Kachiri," Alice repeated, "_Go_. Now. North."

With a snarl at the intruder, Kachiri placed a hand upon Huilen's shoulder, "Let us go. Come, Nahuel."

"There's really no need for such a concern," the stranger interjected. "Let me introduce myself properly. I am called Alejandro Esteban-"

"There _is_ such need," Jasper growled. "I can feel your intent."

With a forceful shove at Nahuel's back, Alice shouted, "The three of you must go! Now!"

Frustrated, Kachiri seized the hands of the Mapuche, pulling them into a brisk run to the north, in the opposite direction of the unwelcome intruder. Satisfied, Alice struck a defensive stance as she immediately began reaching into her visions for this Alejandro, who edged forward now, bemused.

"Get the _hell_ back from my wife," Jasper cautioned.

"As I was saying," the intruder said cheerfully, "I am Alejandro Esteban-"

"And you are leaving _right now_," Jasper snapped. "Before I tear you apart."

From behind Jasper, a twig snapped, drawing his gaze. The figure that stepped into the clearing now would have stopped his heart cold, if it possessed a beat. Dressed in a black sundress, the curvaceous female winked as her bare feet pressed into the snow, her hands upon her hips.

"Now, now, boys; can we not bury the animosity for a moment?" Maria asked. "I have a business proposition to deliver, and I require your undivided attention."

"You _bitch_!" Alice hissed. "How _dare you_ presume to speak to us again, after what you did?" She lunged forward, caught by Jasper's extended arm clotheslining her. "Let me tear her apart, Jazz!"

Maria chuckled, dismissing Alice's aggression with a wave of her hand, "Oh child, do not trifle with me. Jasper can attest to my ability to fend of attacks of a far more lethal nature. Isn't that right?"

Jasper's body shuddered with revulsion as memories of the wars flooded his brain, shards exploding into his psyche. In that moment, he felt every scar, every bite branding his body with his true, dark nature. He stepped before Alice, planting himself between their adversaries and his beloved. _I should have killed you years ago_, he lamented angrily.

"Go home, Maria, while you still have a torso and legs with which to get there."

Maria shook her head, taunting him, "Tsk, tsk. Where have the Southern gentleman's manners gone to? I came only to extend an invitation to you. Isn't that right, Ale?"

Even as her companion nodded, Jasper growled, "You know damn well that I can feel your emotions, Maria. You don't invite; you demand and manipulate, and kill those in your way."

"This life isn't yours, Jasper Hale; surely you see that? You're a soldier, not a lap dog," Maria cooed. "Come home. Come back, where you belong."

Alice pulled against Jasper's grip, fists curled, "He never belonged with you, you sick power-hungry bitch! Fuck you!"

Before Jasper could reel in his shock at the multiple expletives his wife had uttered in a single exchange, Alice did something so unexpected, the entire group froze:

Alice spat in Maria's face. The silence in the clearing was deafening in its fury for approximately twenty-two seconds. And then, all pretenses were dropped.

"I'm going to rip your fucking head off, pixie," Maria snarled, edging closer as her hand swiped at the venom rolling down her cheek.

Jasper saw red, "I will rip yours off first, if you so much as-"

"Try it," Alice taunted, silencing Jasper. "You're nothing without Jasper; it's why you keep trying to pull him back. You're a miserable excuse of a vampire, a poor army commander, and," Alice paused, huffing loudly, "your fashion sense, pardon the pun, sucks."

"Enough! Ale, I'm bored. Entertain me."

With a wicked grin, Alejandro crouched, his teeth gnashing…

* * *

_Olympic National Park, Dec 31__st__, 7:57 a.m._

Sunrise.

Alistair cursed the light as his flesh began to shimmer between the thick patches of brush and trees he wove through, his shoes pounding deep impressions into the muddy soil and snow. How funny, he noted, that he should run so desperately from Forks to avoid the Volturi, only to spin 360 degrees and return to the borders of the small town.

How ironic that in choosing to avoid war, he'd begun to wage a personal one.

The scents grew stronger, particularly _hers_, and so Alistair ran faster, knowing that their enemies were also near. He did not doubt the tenacity of his Alice; she'd managed to evade the Hunter and survive many years happily, with far more ease in Carlisle's alternate existence than he'd known. He knew he should stay away from all of this violence and danger, stay away from _her_, but he could not.

This was his chance to be redeemed. He knew it to be so. Why else would he be so plagued by memories?

A quote sprung to mind, from the book he'd never read Alice: "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards." He'd looked forward to that chapter with the White Queen most of all, given Alice's ability to see the future to come; he wanted her to feel special for her gifts, as opposed to crazy or bad. Had she ever read the book on her own? Did she recognize herself in the pages?

Alistair froze, branches cracking perhaps two miles to his left. His gift pulled ferociously now. _It's the stragglers. Maria._ Growling, he cautiously approached the noise, disturbed by the rushed movements of two or three towards the north. _Why do they retreat?_

This was very bad indeed.

Faintly, he heard voices, melodic and hushed, conspiratorial. Two? Three? The talking would not last long. There would be blows. He was already too late, too slow.

The snow dusting his jacket as it shook loose of the Hemlocks and Firs around him, Alistair thrust himself forward, stumbling into a small clearing – and nearly fell to his knees in astonishment.

Alice. _My Alice_. She and her mate were angrily exchanging with the dark-haired Latina he'd come to call Maria in his glimpses and pulls. All were oblivious to his approach as he edged to within fifty feet, forty, thirty…

And then, his Alice spat in the face of the female, Maria. Stunned, Alistair rocked back on his heels. _Did she really_…? The male consort of Maria tensed as she spoke, commanding him.

"_Enough! Ale, I'm bored. Entertain me."_

Alistair saw it then: Maria wanted Alice dead, at her own hands. But her partner would act first, drawing Jasper's ire and attention just long enough. _Like hell!_ His pack tossed aside, Alistair leapt forward, landing behind the crouched would-be assassin with a guttural shriek of rage.

"I'll bloody well entertain you," Alistair declared loudly, as all eyes focused upon him.

* * *

_**Showdown! And hail, hail, the gang's all here! FYI, I researched and sunrise in December in Washington state in the year BD is set in was around 8am on New Year's Eve.**_

_**Two key notes:**_

_**1. I know I truly suck at updating, so please, review this chapter. Motivate me. Let me know you're out there, reading this, because I worry that it's all terrible and no one's reading.**_

_**2. Today is the last day for nominations for the Hidden Star awards. It's designed specifically for people who haven't won awards already - sharing the kudos wealth, so to speak. You can vote here:**_

_**thehiddenstarawards[dot]blogspot[dot]com/p/nominate[dot]html**_


	20. Two Knights Endgame

_**AN:**_

_**For my patient, faithful, long-term readers, this must be a shocker. Two updates this month? **_

_**With a little luck, I'll have the story finished by the end of the month. We've only 2 chapters and a epilogue after this. :D**_

_**SM owns all things Twilight; I own the intellectual property and new 'canon' of Down The Rabbit Hole/Through The Looking-Glass. This chapter contains quotes/reworkings of scenes in DTRH. **_

_**For those who may not have noticed, the titles of the chapters in this story all relate to chess, something deliberate due to its prominence in Lewis Carroll's Through The Looking-Glass. If you look up each chapter's definition, you'll notice foreshadowing and connections in each. EX: This chapter's title is a specific strategy for checkmate, that works best with an extra/third piece.**_

* * *

_At this moment her thoughts were interrupted by a loud shouting of `Ahoy! Ahoy! Check! and a Knight dressed in crimson armour, came galloping down upon her, brandishing a great club. Just as he reached her, the horse stopped suddenly: `You're my prisoner!' the Knight cried, as he tumbled off his horse. _

_Startled as she was, __Alice__ was more frightened for him than for herself at the moment, and watched him with some anxiety as he mounted again. As soon as he was comfortably in the saddle, he began once more `You're my - ' but here another voice broke in `Ahoy! Ahoy! Check!' and __Alice__ looked round in some surprise for the new enemy. _

_This time it was a White Knight. He drew up at __Alice__'s side, and tumbled off his horse just as the Red Knight had done: then he got on again, and the two Knights sat and looked at each other for some time without speaking. __Alice__ looked from one to the other in some bewilderment. _

_`She's my prisoner, you know!' the Red Knight said at last. _

_`Yes, but then I came and rescued her!' the White Knight replied. _

_`Well, we must fight for her, then,' said the Red Knight, as he took up his helmet (which hung from the saddle, and was something the shape of a horse's head, and put it on. _

**Through The Looking-Glass, And What ****Alice**** Found There – Lewis Carroll (chapter 8)**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X  
**

Static and white noise, edges blurring… Alice fell to her knees as the past, present and future collided violently within her skull. Whimpering, she pressed her palms to her temples, eyes shut tight foolishly in the face of battle.

_A fox carcass, drained, clutched in her hands. Fingernails carving wood, a warning. A grin without a face-_

"Who in the hell is this?" Maria shrieked, as the strange older man with tangerine eyes bore down upon her and her mate, his body planted firmly in the path of Alice Cullen.

_…She cupped the water to her lips. It did not ease the burn in her throat. She could not drink…_

"One too old for your pathetic war games, little girl," the stranger replied, his dark hair dusted in tiny white flakes as the wind picked up around them. "Shouldn't you be returning to your sandbox?"

_A book in her hands, her dress in tatters, wet leaves clinging to her knees. 'To __Alice__, from your White Rabbit_' _the inscription inside._

_"__Alice__... He called me Alice..." _

"This does not concern you, old man," Maria spat angrily. "I will tear you apart and burn the pieces slowly-"

"Talk, talk, talk; do you ever shut up, you tedious slag?" Alistair growled.

_…Ms. Brandon is very bright and articulate, but withdrawn and reserved. She prefers books to socializing with other children her age, calling the books 'safer'…_

"Alice?"

Jasper shook his wife's arm, reaching into the ether. The images and sounds were rapid-fire, memories overlapping in a collage. Voices blended, distorted, senseless harmonies. She rocked back against a tree, the disruption the only thing saving her life in her mental prison. Who was he, this vampire who'd leapt to their defense without hesitation?

_A vision so crystalline, it was violent to her vampire senses. The colours were too garish, the sounds a cacophony. A woman in the forest – this forest – and a man seated, his back to her. In his hands lay an open book. _

_"The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence…"_

_He turned at her uncertain approach, his face anguished but kind. He closed the tome. On the cover was a young girl in a blue dress and –_

"The White Rabbit," Alice whispered in disbelief.

The stranger turned at this, his expression one of bewilderment and fear, and she knew it then, knew it without remembering so many lost years in Mississippi as the troubled young woman, Mary Alice Brandon. Her core ached with unspoken recognition, the scars of her transformation burning anew:

This was the vampire who'd changed her. The vampire James had claimed to have killed for doing so. And he was very much _not_ dead.

_Alejandro lunged in her mind's eye, impatient and hungry for death_ –

"Look out!" Alice screamed.

The stranger shot out an arm without glancing at his assailant, seizing him by the wrist and launching him across the clearing, the Latino striking soil with enough force to drive two feet down into its moist berth. With a ferocious snarl, Maria charged Alice, her fiery eyes narrowed as her hand struck out, scarcely grazing Alice's cheek as the pixie dodged and launched herself into the air, somersaulting before landing behind Jasper, her back pressed to his. Linking arms at their sides, Alice launched Jasper in Alejandro's direction, his lithe body coming to a rest inches from his target. They grappled and rolled, Maria's little pet scrambling to ensnare Jasper in his iron grip, to no avail. _Newborn_, Alice recognized immediately. _Maybe a few years old at best. Why would she bring one so weak-?_

Maria bore down on her once more without warning, her dress billowing around her ankles as she sprinted forward, wailing in protest as the stranger again intervened, catching her by her right wrist and flipping her down to the ground between them. With a fierce kick to Maria's chest, the cracking of ribs echoing through the deserted park, he glanced up at Alice, his eyes pleading with her.

"Run, Alice!"

"No," she mumbled, shaking her head slightly. _The White Rabbit. How did he find us_? "Curiouser and curiouser…"

Maria flailed and struggled, her legs scissoring about the stranger's neck with lightning reflexes. He struck sharply behind her left knee, rolled and pulled free, stunned. Behind them, Jasper roared with fury as he tore at Alejandro's left arm with his teeth, striking his howling face. In Alice's mind, she clearly saw Maria's next strike coming and sidestepped it expertly, leaping onto the raven-haired vampire's back and driving a hard elbow into the back of her skull. They went down briefly, Maria reversing their positions and straddling Alice. Her fingers struck out to blind her, only to meet with a snow drift as Alice propelled Maria's body up and over her head with her tiny feet. Cat-like, Maria landed on all fours, rising slowly to again meet her enemy.

"Get the _hell off of her_!" Jasper snarled twenty feet away, abandoning Alejandro in pursuit of his wife.

Alice sent a crouching roundhouse into Maria's knees, bringing her back to the ground within reach. In her mind, she heard every word from that horrible night in Calgary, recalled every grimace, every moment of pain Jasper had felt because of what _she_ had made him do. The world was painted crimson, all sound receding as Alice seized Maria by her hair, driving her face-first into a looming Douglas Fir, grinning as something cracked inside her adversary's wicked skull. Maria kicked backwards, flailing wildly, but it was of no matter to Alice, not now. With a twist of her wrist, Alice drew Maria's right arm behind her back then kicked her torso with a fury she had never known before. There was a popping, a wail, Jasper's muted gasp.

"Forgot your arm!" Alice sang sweetly, tossing the severed limb aside.

The stranger – her White Rabbit – tore the head from the young male, the would-be assassin dropping to the ground, limp and ashen. Her partner slain, Maria's ruby eyes flashed between Alice, Jasper and their unexpected compatriot, her remaining arm propelling her to her feet hurriedly. A primal scream ripped from her throat, and distantly, Alice heard the stampede of deer in retreat, their terror palpable.

"This isn't over, Cullen!" Maria hissed.

Jasper crossed the clearing in an instant, toe to toe with his creator. The flood of anger and disgust from him left Alice clutching her stomach, scarcely able to withstand the intensity. Wordlessly, Jasper seized Maria by the throat and threw her backwards into the forest, her body sailing into the dark cover of a thicket. A scrambling and a roar were heard, then silence.

The trio stood in the clearing, each frozen in place, ethereal statues glistening in the winter morning's rays. A finger twitched on Maria's arm, and Alice stepped on it reflexively, crushing the digit. The older vampire gazed at her sadly; Jasper gazed at him with confusion. _He doesn't realize. Of course he doesn't know. When could I tell him, with the attack and –_

"The Volturi," Alice whispered. "Kachiri, the others!"

"They got away, thanks to… " Jasper's voice trailed away. "Who _are_ you?"

"That's not important right now," he answered, gesturing to the north. "The Volturi have been gathering witnesses and they're planning a slaughter. No one will be allowed to survive aligning with Carlisle now, not unless they are indentured to Aro and his puppet masters."

"That's why we're back – to stop them," Jasper affirmed. "But who are you?"

"You _can't go back!_" The stranger became frantic, tugging at his messy hair. "She can't die, not again. You need to flee, now."

"Die again?"

"Jazz-"

"You've got to go somewhere far, far away-" The stranger continued to rant, invoking Jasper's ire.

"Who are you to dictate-?"

"Jazz, stop!" Alice shouted, reaching out to grip his hand. "It's him."

"Him _who? _Who are you, damn it?"

In unison, Alice and the stranger replied:

"- Alistair."

"– My White Rabbit."

Jasper stepped backwards, eyes locked on Alice's incredulous expression. "Wait a second… Didn't James say he was dead?"

"The Hunter believed so. It was not for lack of trying," Alistair winced, lifting his sweater to expose the remnant scars and missing gouges of flesh that never entirely healed from the kerosene. "There is no time for this now. The Volturi-"

"They're arriving," Alice whispered. "We have to go…"

And yet, in spite of her words, Alice did not have the strength to will her limbs to move. How could she leave this spot, when before her lay the key to understanding herself and her origins, a key believed lost forever? Her own words echoed within, her heart aching.

"_…A door I always believed hopelessly closed, a door I felt I would never be able to walk through, is here, and I'm holding the key to unlock it. Can you truly blame me and think me foolish for wanting to open it?_"

A jostling of her arm shocked her back into the present, where Jasper's concerned face met hers, their noses grazing.

"Alice, come on!"

_The guard approached, led by the three. Demetri had tracked them to the clearing, amused at their choice of locale. "We shall strike them down where they struck down that army." Jane giggled, flexing her fingers, her bright red eyes lusty with the image of annihilation_…

"Come with us," she pleaded suddenly, stretching out her hand to Alistair, much to Jasper's surprise.

The older man sighed, stepping forward slowly, head bowed. With a shuddering hand, he stretched to meet her, fingertips grazing her own and withdrawing quickly, as if her touch had scorched his skin. He shook his head, gesturing to Alejandro's disassembled remains.

"I cannot fight them, and someone has to take care of this. I should also ensure that Mexican slag doesn't circle back about." Pausing, he lowered his voice, the lilt of his accent more pronounced. "You always knew what was coming, even the Hunter; you'll find me again, if you wish it so. Go."

Seizing Jasper's hand, Alice nodded vigorously, her lower lip trembling, "Th-thank you. Jazz, we have to hurry…"

Without a backwards glance, Jasper pulled Alice forward, driving north in pursuit of the scents of the remainder of their party. Alistair watched them depart, chanting to himself in his head: _Stay strong, stay strong, don't crumble_… When they were at last out of sight, out of earshot, he buckled, scrambling for his discarded backpack and clutching it to his chest, rocking slightly. _I wasn't supposed to see her again. I wasn't to interfere unless the Cullens were decimated. _The memory of the Mexicans and their sinister intentions jarred Alistair and he now rose, quickly working to assemble the kindling for a fire. _I couldn't have stood back and let them hurt her. I couldn't allow it_. With practiced hands, he ignited a small bonfire in scant seconds, tossing Alejandro's head face first into the building flames. The scent reminded him of his encounter nearly 90 years ago, phantom pains coursing his torso briefly before he returned his focus to the task at hand. Limb by limb, he disposed of the body, his gift searching for Maria and her next course. In a hazy blur, he saw her moving through desert lands, and for that, he was relieved. For all of his bravado minutes earlier, he actually feared any further altercations. As he'd pointedly reminded Carlisle, he was old, and weary; while no human could match him, he was not a formidable vampire. He chose flight over fight, always; self-preservation was his masochistic goal for the last near century…

But he had reason to thrive now: Alice wanted to see him, to know him, perhaps.

In the periphery of his vision, a pale arm extended towards him, as if to beseech him for aid. He chuckled in spite of himself as he recalled how his Alice had torn the arm free of the wicked army breeder, how flabbergasted and _offended_ she had seemed. She'd come so far from her days of fear and insecurity in the basement of the asylum, had risen above the atrocities her family and supposed caregivers had inflicted upon her young soul.

She was a beautiful and powerful young woman.

Alistair's chest ballooned with pride as he reached for the slender arm in the snow, chucking it into the fire and watching the flames lap eagerly at the marble flesh. _Well done, Queen Alice. Check and maybe Mate._ His eyes returned to his satchel, and he nodded. There was but one logical course for him now, until the fates were decided. Reaching deep inside the worn leather, his hand met a familiar friend.

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll…"

* * *

_**And they're off to save their family! Alice and Alistair finally met, if briefly, and Maria... well, Alice had a little fun with her. ;) **_

_**As the next chapter is in progress, and is an Alice POV to the Volturi confrontation and the relieved wind down at the Cullen home, are there any particular moments/things said you would like Alice to react to in the next chapter? Let me know!**_


	21. Zwischenzug

_**AN:**_

_**Finish line is fast in sight; only one more chapter and an epilogue after this one.**_

_**This chapter contains dialogue from Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer for continuity purposes. All of this material is copyrighted to its original author and no infringement is meant. All borrowed dialogue should be apparent, but just in case: Edward, Aro, Caius, and later Bella, Nahuel and Alice's lines in establishing the grounds under which the attack can be ceased are from the original text. A further line from the final chapter is borrowed for Alistair.**_

_**Stay tuned to the end notes that follow. They're super important!**_

* * *

_`I can't stand this any longer!' she cried as she jumped up and seized the table-cloth with both hands: one good pull, and plates, dishes, guests, and candles came crashing down together in a heap on the floor._

_`And as for you,' she went on, turning fiercely upon the Red Queen, who she considered as the cause of all the mischief - but the Queen was no longer at her side - she had suddenly dwindled down to the size of a little doll, and was now on the table, merrily running round and round after her own shawl, which was trailing behind her._

_At any other time, __Alice__ would have felt surprised at this, but she was far too much excited to be surprised at anything now. `As for you,' she repeated, catching hold of the little creature in the very act of jumping over a bottle which had just lighted upon the table, `I'll shake you into a kitten, that I will!'_

**Through The Looking-Glass, And What ****Alice**** Found There - Lewis Carroll (chapter 9)  
**

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X  
**

They made good time, considering their encounter with Maria and her protégé - Jasper had detected from his emotional ties to the cruel Latina that he was the latest in a long line of Jasper successors - catching up with Kachiri and their Mapuche guests in a scant ten minutes. Overhead, the garish sun that had emerged at daybreak was being swallowed in a murky ether, lending a sense of a later hour to the snow-dusted nature scene that passed them in a blur. Alice was calculating miles, her tormented vision of a deadly fate for the family and their witnesses returning, should she come within thirty miles of the clearing. _Edward_. He would be far too eager to expand his mind, collecting thoughts like honey bees gathering dew.

It was Jasper who had suggested Kachiri move further ahead, enough to overhear the proceedings, without the hindrance of Edward knowing her 'voice' well enough to discern her from her sisters, let alone the Volturi's collection of nomadic witnesses. In turn, Jasper would sense Kachiri's emotions, attempting to discern the mood of the gathering. Kachiri's future had disappeared as she raced ahead to five miles outside the confrontation, her course now partially dependent on the interactions of the wolves with their enemies, and thus, obscured. Jasper had attuned to Kachiri, certain that the intensity of feeling from bearing witness to such a heinous farce as that which Aro and his brethren were engaged in would carry, if he were to concentrate.

Huilen and Nahuel waited patiently nearby, reaching out to what Huilen described as _Ngen_ - 'the spirits who lie in all of nature's aspects' - to guide them and protect them. Alice sensed Huilen's growing fears about their situation, particularly in light of their ushered escape from the face-off minutes before; her future shifted rapidly between nothingness and a retreat towards South America, dragging Nahuel against his will. But Nahuel was fixed upon helping the Cullens in any way he could; Jasper believed that Nahuel saw it as his chance to atone for his perceived failure to save his sister Lican from Joham's unforgiving hands. He caressed his aunt's cheek, eyes pressed tightly shut, his future a mystery. Too many others had the power to alter his destiny now.

"It's started," Jasper whispered. "Kachiri radiates tension, but no pain or anguish. No blows have been struck. Aro is, as always, calculating his best course of action."

Alice nodded nervously, pacing in spite of herself. "We knew as much. I wonder how disappointed he is on his little collecting mission to see me absent? Wretched bastard."

"I should wager he's taking it as a positive for himself and his side; if the 'seer' has flown the Cullen nest, he likely believes victory shall be his."

Alice growled, "Over my undead body."

"Wait-" Jasper paused, his eyes pressed shut, "Of course. Edward and Aro will meet. Kachiri's fearing for her sisters now; Aro did not know of them, or Zafrina's gifts, before. Trepidation - not knowing what will come."

"This Aro," Huilen inquired, "He sees, as you do?"

"No; his gift is more of a complement to mine. In his touch, he can know your every thought and memory. Edward reads minds without touching - thoughts as they're happening - so for Aro to touch him is to know the collected thoughts of the entire family and our allies. Every strategy, every fear, every beautiful moment - all are his." Alice averted her eyes sadly, "It was one of the reasons why I could not tell them that Jasper and I were seeking out someone like Nahuel; if Aro knew-"

"And if he does not know?" Huilen countered. "How is that any safer?"

"Strategy," Nahuel interrupted. "It's a game. Like Joham. Just as he surprised me with a hunt, with two sisters and the offer of new bonds, Alice expects to surprise him with our arrival. Isn't it so?"

Alice smiled softly, "Yes, Nahuel. You understand entirely-"

"ARRRGGGHH!" Jasper wailed suddenly, buckling to the ground, hands pressed to his temples. "Make it stop!"

"JAZZ?" Alice fell to his side in terror, her tiny hands pulling her mate to her chest. "Jazz, what's wrong? Oh God, is it-"

"The... Pack," Jasper grunted through clenched teeth. "Their... Alpha control... Hive minds, hive emotions..."

Alice's eyes widened as she gently rocked Jasper's shuddering frame, "They're collectively emitting emotions? Jazz, what are they feeling? Baby, please; I need you to tell me. Try and tell me."

"Ness... Dread... Distrust..." Jasper whispered. "Jacob's separation from Sam's pack... It hasn't diluted their ability to... combine... Emotionally, at least." Wincing, Jasper leaned against Alice's chest. "That was... brutal... Like Mississipi."

Alice pressed her lips to his forehead, running her slender fingers through his messy blonde locks, "If you have to start blocking, then do it-"

"No!" Jasper shouted. "Not a damn chance, Alice. Our family is counting on us."

"I know, but-"

Alice froze, struck suddenly by a vision of death and destruction. Her chest tightened as her family's futures cleared, the wolves dead once more, their hulking bodies crumpled in a heap before a satisfied Caius. Colours shifted - Carmen and Eleazar, running, terrified, grieving... Rosalie fleeing with Emmett upon her back, his body limp, his left leg torn away. Demetri and Felix pounced, smiling wickedly...

"Oh God," Jasper gasped beyond the ether. "They killed someone..."

Alice shuddered as she blinked hard, her eyes desperately locking upon a nearby fir tree, grounding herself. "They've baited for an attack. What could they have done...?"

"Not Ness. The pack's only angry, not saddened-"

_Carmen and Eleazar grieving... _A quick check of Tanya's future told Alice everything. "Irina. Her future just disappeared."

Jasper sighed, rising to his feet. "Tanya and Kate will want to destroy her killer."

Fog. Alice's glazed eyes could no longer find the aftermath of the sisters' vengeance. _Something shifted again. Please, please tell me they held them back. Aro's grown desperate if he struck out at Irina publicly._ Her hand outstretched to Jasper, and he gently tugged her upright, her body pressing against his for comfort. Her heart broke for the Denali coven; they were as much a family as the Cullens, bonded deeply. If anyone were to harm one of her loved ones, she knew that she would be hard pressed to resist striking out in rage.

"Jazz, we should move closer."

"Are you certain?"

Alice nodded, "If Aro's taken to prodding for a confrontation, a reason to attack, then he's already seen all Edward has to offer, and has found nothing to convince those called to witness that our family should be slaughtered. We need to be near; we need to ensure the pieces fall into place. King's Indian, Jazz, remember?"

Her mate nodded, his attention turning to their only hope, "Huilen, Nahuel: are you ready?"

Huilen bowed her head, her hand clutching Nahuel's tightly, "I can only hope so. The _Wekufe_ are strong within these woods. They will strike and plant their seeds any way they may find."

"We will not bend to them, aunt-mother," Nahuel said calmly, "We are truth and love. Do they not conquer darkness? Are we not proof?"

Huilen smiled, the first genuine smile Alice had seen since their meeting, "Pire would be proud to call you son, my Jungle Cat." With a nod, she turned to Jasper and Alice, her chin held defiantly. "Let us go, with haste."

With no further hesitation, the foursome quickly cut northeast, to rejoin Kachiri's side. With a glance upwards, Alice thought, _If __Carlisle__ is right about God, then please, if you exist and you're there, protect my family? Please don't let this be the end of us_.

"The witnesses are turning on them," Jasper declared as they wound closer to Kachiri. "There's a tremendous fear and mistrust growing from the clearing. Aro's playing into our hands. If Bella can hold-"

"She will. I know she will."

Kachiri closed the distance between them, her expression pained as she approached. "They killed the informant, Irina. They restrained her sisters; they are calling our allies to witness regarding the child."

Alice heaved a sigh of relief, "I don't know how they held Kate back. She zapped me once with her little skill; even a playful shock was enough to knock me to my knees for a split second. But I am glad they did."

"Edward called my sister; I wager she blinded the blindly enraged," Kachiri suggested.

Jasper waved a hand at the group, "There's restlessness and malice growing; I think they're trying to incapacitate our side while grasping at their straws to justify to their witnesses..."

The group strained to hear the discussions, which were scant. The battle had become mental: Aro's toys versus Bella's shield. _How long until he realizes he will have to justify it and then physically attack_? Alice mused.

"When, Miss Alice?" Kachiri asked.

Beneath them the ground trembled violently, the five huddling together in shock as the earth groaned beneath their feet, the trees swaying in a twisted ballet. A smattering of confused gasps reached their ears as Alice clung to Jasper, her amber eyes scanning their surroundings in fear. _Did they find us? How could they know we were here?_ The ground hiccupped then settled with a delicate groan, the soil now steady beneath their feet.

"What in the hell was that?" Jasper asked Alice.

"The _Ngen_," Huilen answered calmly. "One of yours commands them. The division is clear; lines are drawn."

Distantly, Alice swore she heard Bella's name, a whisper on the wind, "The Egyptians. Benjamin. It's definitely begun."

"Anticipation, determination," Jasper mumbled. "It's a war of the talents still; no hand to hand. What's Aro waiting for?"

"What he can't have: Alec immobilizing his prey," Alice replied. "We need to move closer for Edward to hear me over the battle. Hurry!"

As they closed the remaining five miles, a slow run for their kind, Alice picked up bits and pieces of conversation, mentions of a vote. Only Caius' voice stood out enough to be heard clearly, and she and Jasper collectively hissed at his declaration.

"The child is an unknown quantity. There is no reason to allow such a risk to exist. It must be destroyed, along with all who protect it."

"I'll tear that yellow bastard's head off myself if he tries," Jasper snarled.

"You shall gladly have my help," Kachiri echoed angrily.

Alice felt her pace accelerate, her feet scarcely touching earth as she closed in on the future looming before her, a sickly awe overcoming her. With every ounce of mental strength she still possessed, her mind began to scream to her brother, fighting to force his attention from the so-called council before him.

_Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! You damn well better hear me! Listen! Listen, you nosy mindreader!_ Alice shoved aside a younger hemlock, its roots straining with the force of her vampire strength as she held course. _Edward, we have another hybrid! A grown one! If you can hear me, talk Aro into a corner, fast!_ With a desperate sob, she halted, scarcely a mile beyond the clearing, her chest heaving. _Please, hear me, hear me! _As Jasper's hands gripped her shoulders from behind, she tilted her head upwards, gazing into his eyes for perhaps one last look.

"Impossibly and forever," she whispered.

"I love you, darlin'. Always."

From beyond the trees, Edward's voice sounded out clear and calm.

"Aro?"

_Please. Please. We have proof of what Renesmee will be. Corner him._

"Yes, Edward? You have something further...?" The answer was hesitant; Jasper nodded, smiling faintly. _So far, so good_...

"Perhaps," Edward answered, almost... Cheerfully.

"He heard me," Alice breathed. "Now, let's see what he can manage to talk out of Aro..."

"...The danger you foresee from my daughter - this stems entirely from our inability to guess how she will develop? That is the crux of the matter?" Edward asked.

"Yes," Kachiri hissed. "Wisely put."

"Yes, friend Edward," Aro's voice carried strong into the forest. Even here, far from his precious kingdom, he spoke as if he ruled all. "If we could be but positive...be _sure_ that, as she grows, she will be able to be concealed from the human ..."

_Edward, get him to agree that if we had proof of her future, this would end peacefully. Carefully. Draw it out_, Alice urged silently.

"So, if we could only know for sure exactly what she will become... then there would be no need for a council at all?" Edward continued, almost casually.

"Damn, he's good," Jasper enthused. "Aro hasn't a clue of just what he's getting into. He thinks this is stalling; he's getting bored with the whole discussion."

"...yes, there would be no question to debate," Aro's shrill voice declared.

"And we would part in peace, good friends once again?" Edward inquired, slightly sarcastic.

"Aro's annoyed now," Jasper mumbled.

"Of course, my young friend. Nothing would please me more," Aro announced, struggling to conceal his aggravation.

Edward's chuckle made Jasper grin, "Then I do have something more to offer."

"She is absolutely unique. Her future can only be guessed at," Aro countered.

"Not absolutely unique. Rare, certainly, but not one of a kind."

Jasper chuckled, "Jane's furious. Must be failing against Bella's shield."

Almost saccharine, Edward called out, "Aro, would you ask Jane to stop attacking my wife? We are still discussing evidence."

With a hint of grudging compliance, Aro's voice boomed out. "Peace, dear ones. Let us hear him out."

_Check and mate, Edward! Care to invite me to the party?_ Alice thought happily. To Huilen and Nahuel, she gave a firm nod, which they answered. _It's showtime!_

His voice raising loud above the murmurs of the witnesses on both sides, Edward extended his invitation: "Why don't you join us, Alice?"

With a quick kiss upon Jasper's lips, Alice ran confidently into the clearing, her mate just behind her. Kachiri and Huilen followed, as they had discussed along their trek, their presence sending both sides into quiet tittering.

But it was the young man at the rear of their group - the one whose heart pounded strong within his veins - that brought the crowd to a hush.

Alice caught Alec's eye, noting his focus upon Bella, then understood clearly: a cloying mist, scarcely visible, drifted about the outer circle of their family and friends. _Bella! I knew she could do it!_ With a delicate leap, she soared over its tendrils, her party following suit as she ground to a halt beside her brother, whose eyes radiated intense gratitude. As Bella's hand met her arm, Edward's, Esme's, Carlisle's as well, Alice faced Aro, resolute and tense. He would not give in easily, especially now that the stakes had been raised.

_We still have a fight, Edward. But if it comes to blows, you knew we would go down swinging with you all._

Edward nodded ever so slightly; he understood her warning, and continued carefully. "Alice has been searching for her own witnesses these last few weeks, and she does not come back empty-handed. Alice, why don't you introduce the witnesses you've brought?"

Caius was, as usual, furious at the prospect of being denied a bloodbath, particularly against wolves. "The time for witnesses is past! Cast your vote, Aro!"

But Aro knew better than to dismiss the testimony outright; the faces of those behind the ancients and their guard were beginning to understand how power hungry and manipulative the Volturi could be. They were considering now when and where the Volturi would come for them. This displeased Aro, who silenced his impatient brother, to Alice's relief. With a delicate step forward, Alice introduced her family's hope.

"This is Huilen and her nephew, Nahuel," she announced, pointedly glaring at Aro as she enunciated 'nephew'.

The snakes stirred in the grass, hissing in anger and in the face of possible defeat. Caius in particular was incensed, which pleased Alice greatly. _Take that, you sadistic jerk!_

As Aro commanded her to speak, Huilen glanced at Alice, trembling slightly, Alice nodded, her eyes warm. Kachiri reached out, her hand steadying the petite vampire, and she spoke, her voice strong, her story unfolding as if it were a tale of her ancestors, history passed from generation to generation. Nahuel looked on, a swell of pride in his eyes as she spoke of raising him, of loving him as her sister would have, had she survived. Jasper leaned closer, his voice scarcely audible.

"Aro's waning..."

Alice watched as Huilen bowed her head, tucking herself behind her new Amazonian friend as her story concluded, shy and fearful. Kachiri's hand reached behind herself, squeezing Huilen's hand in support.

"Nahuel, you are one hundred and fifty years old?" Aro asked, pursing his lips.

"Give or take a decade; we don't keep track," Nahuel answered confidently, unafraid.

Aro continued to pick and prod at Nahuel, demanding answers about his diet and age of maturity. His eyes brightened wickedly as a thought came to him, his question pointed.

"You were able to create an immortal?"

_Edward, it's okay; I expected this,_ Alice thought. Just_ wait for it, Aro_, Alice crowed inwardly. His desperate seeking would yield strange and unexpected fruit.

"Yes, but none of the rest can."

_See?_ Alice reassured Edward.

"The rest?"

"My sisters," Nahuel replied calmly.

Nahuel went on, at Aro's urging, to tell of his father and siblings, his face pained as he recalled Lican. Jasper sent a wave of calm over him, Alice knew, as his face smoothed over, his voice more firm than troubled. Caius broke in, asking Bella if Renesmee was venomous, to which she said no. Nahuel's eyes drew to Bella's face immediately - _his mother,_ Alice guessed - seeking something indiscernible. His witness given, Alice held her breath, her body taut. _Your move, Aro_.

"We take care of the aberration here, then follow it south," Caius growled. _Still wanting his pound of flesh_, Alice huffed.

Aro focused his attention upon Bella, studying her intently. Alice forced herself to remain steady, understanding completely what Aro was calculating: the odds that he could take Bella alive, and endear her to the Volturi in spite of the power of her shield. His answer came at last, and with it, Alice felt hope.

"Brother, there appears to be no danger. This is an unusual development, but I see no threat. These half-vampire children are much like us, it appears."

"Is that your vote?" Caius snapped.

"It is."

"And this Joham? This immortal so fond of experimentation?" Caius pressed.

Alice watched Nahuel and Huilen, who both tensed at his name. Huilen seemed fearful that now she and her nephew would be targeted for their relation to a particularly wicked vampire, and Alice's heart fell.

"Stop Joham if you will, but leave my sisters be. They are innocent," Nahuel interjected.

His mind was on Lican now, on Ailen and the nameless sister. Kachiri growled low in her throat, and Alice knew that she would watch over the pair now, until she was no more. Alice had no doubt that her sisters would vow the same.

But that was beyond this day, to which there was no definitive end, as of yet. All eyes were trained upon Aro now as he moved towards his guard, towards the pomp and nonsense he held so dear. His voice pleasant, he called out to his guard.

"Dear ones, we do not fight today."

Jasper stumbled slightly behind her, surely overwhelmed by the tremendous relief their party felt. Alice turned to him, embracing him tightly. In her mind, she saw them embracing in the moonlight, faint music drifting from... From their home. Another flash carried her into the state park, tracing Maria's scent, and finding _him_. It was then that Alice smiled, burying her face in Jasper's shirt.

_We have futures again. It's over_.

Aro and Carlisle were exchanging formal niceties, but it didn't take Edward's gift to appreciate that Carlisle was having none of Aro's platitudes. Bella's body remained tense, her eyes somewhat distant. Alice jabbed Jasper in the arm, nodding slightly to her sister.

"She can't believe it's over," he explained softly. "Give her a moment."

As if on cue, Bella turned to Edward, "Is it over?"

Edward beamed, "Yes. They've given up. Like all bullies, they're cowards underneath the swagger."

As he laughed, Alice joined him, giddy as a glimpse of Edward and Bella in Alaska flitted into her mind's eye, "Seriously, people. They're not coming back. Everybody can relax now."

She winked at Edward, who grinned wider. _I'd like a new car for my birthday. Nothing special, just another Porsche. Red, maybe?_

A roar grew around them, relief and joy flooding the now victorious alliance. Esme encircled Alice and Jasper from behind, and Alice happily threw her arms around her neck, sighing happily.

"Forgive us? We had to be sure Aro wouldn't know-"

"I'm just so happy to have you home!" Esme gushed, planting kisses on each of their cheeks. "You know I think of you as my children, and always will. You have done something truly incredible today."

"It was Bella. She held them back," Alice rebutted.

"It was everyone," Jasper insisted. "Only a family like ours could manage to outwit the Volturi. If we were a Southern army," he drawled, "We'd never be defeated. But we're something better."

"Family," Esme said softly.

"Family," Alice echoed.

* * *

It was near midnight when they stood behind their home, dancing to music in their minds under the moonlight in the vast expanse of land beyond the glass patio door. Alice had changed into another dress, a delicate blue fabric overlaying white silk, drawn tight under her bosom, while Jasper had shrugged into his favourite grey pullover and khakis. Somewhere within the house, Rosalie and Emmett were celebrating their continued life together as they celebrated everything: passionate, bed-breaking sex. For once, Alice didn't dare roll her eyes at their shenanigans; they had all earned the right to unwind as they saw fit.

Bella had, as Alice anticipated, given her an earful on how terrified she had been for her daughter's safety, insisting Alice could have told her all that she had planned for her trip with Jasper. Anger soon gave way to gratitude and smiles as Alice snapped pictures of her niece, astonished at how much she'd grown in the short weeks they'd been apart. How could anyone be angry, when there was so much to feel joy over?

They were alive.

Nahuel and Huilen had declined to accompany the Amazons home, at Nahuel's behest. He wished to know more of vampire lore, of what he was. Carlisle had settled into the study with the pair, warmly welcoming them into the fold. Alice foresaw their return home in a few days' time, Nahuel concerned for the safety of his sisters; she and Jasper would accompany them, if they wished.

But first, Alice had unfinished business of her own; she, too, needed to know of her heritage.

It had slipped her mind briefly in the haze of jubilation and reunion, the family taking their turns in welcoming them back, with gusto. Even Rosalie had embraced them, a rare show of feeling from one so reserved in public. In the midst of the greetings and simultaneous farewells to the assembled witnesses, in a moment where Jasper was not at her side, having gone to say goodbye to Peter and Charlotte, a passing comment from Carlisle to Liam broke the dam.

"Try to find Alistair and tell him what happened. I'd hate to think of him hiding under a rock for the next decade."

_Alistair_. It had all flooded back then, far too quickly to censor it: Maria and Alejandro, their intentions deadly; the sudden appearance of their ally, the brooding vampire with the dark hair and disheveled clothing leaping into battle; the vision of him reading from the book she could recite word for word without any effort whatsoever, somewhere in the Olympic forests. _The White Rabbit_. How could this be? How would Carlisle not know that his acquaintance had been her creator? How could he just leave-?

"Alice?" Edward whispered, jarring her from her troubled reverie. "Alice, am I hearing and seeing what I think I'm seeing? Did Maria really-?"

_Yes. Please, don't tell the family yet. Let them enjoy this moment. Besides, I got to tear her arm off. That was rather satisfying._

"And _he_... You saw him?"

_He jumped in. He was tracking us, I guess. I don't know; we had to hurry to the clearing... But when I saw him, I knew in my core who he was._

"Holy shit!" Edward breathed.

_Kiss your mother with that mouth?_ Alice teased. _I have to track him down. But again, this is between you and I for now, understand me? Not even Bella, Edward._

Edward nodded, "Slip out in a bit; I'll cover, if need be."

Alice hugged Edward tightly, "I missed you all so much."

"And we missed you, pixie."

Five hours had passed, and with each minute, Alice's anxiety grew. What if she couldn't find him again? What if he disappeared under a proverbial rock, as Carlisle expected, perhaps returning to Europe and losing himself in the crowds?

What if Maria had returned?

"Alice," Jasper whispered, "Relax. She's long gone; I don't need your talents to know it."

Alice nodded, still uncertain, "Alistair... Wouldn't he have run off by now? I suppose Carlisle could help me find him, but after all this time..."

Jasper shook his head furiously, "No. He's waiting for you, Alice. You didn't experience the depth and complexity of his emotions, in seeing you. He has been waiting his entire life for someone to tell him that you were still alive, somewhere. It was very..." Jasper paused, weighing his words.

"Very?"

"Fatherly," Jasper concluded. "Like a father reunited with a child long lost. Alice, he's probably still in the forest, wondering if you want to speak with him or not. If you want to-"

"I do," Alice interrupted. "Jazz, I need to know everything."

Jasper lifted her gently into the air, his lips pressing gently against hers, delicate, his hands firmly upon her waist. She returned the kiss, legs dangling child-like, her heart renewed. _Yes. I'll find him. I will._ With a shy smile, Alice caressed Jasper's cheek, marveling at the way the pale moonlight overhead lent a luminous sheen to his pale skin.

"Ready to go?"

Alice nodded, "Yes. Yes, Jazz."

With a wink, Jasper gently placed her on the grass, taking her hand in his, "Then let's chase that rabbit down its hole, dear Alice."

* * *

_This chapter was more difficult to write than I imagined, all because of canon. Stephenie clearly established that Alice could not see past the wolves and things were fuzzy around hybrids. While I ofer an explanation that Meyer did not in chapter 1 for how Alice knew things would be bad (she can see around dead wolves), I was initially stumped because how would Alice know **when** to arrive at the confrontation and avoid anyone knowing before Aro touched Edward, particularly if, as she argues, she had so many angles to constantly factor in to make everything work out? Nessie was always on Bella's back during any time when the wolves weren't shielded, so I couldn't even use that as an out._

_So a tremendous thank you to **jakeward**, who talked canon shop with me and put me on the right path towards a vision I approved of, and also for being an amazing person and gifted writer (if you dig RPF, she's a master and the only author I thoroughly enjoy in that category). _

_**Next chapter is pretty much what people have demanded since I concluded Down The Rabbit Hole... so review! Tell me what you expect. Is there something you want Alice to ask, or vice versa? Is there a missing puzzle piece from DTRH that you'd like me to reveal now? This chapter, like this story, is written expressly for the readers; I never would have started the story without requests for it. Make it yours.**_


	22. Desperado

_**AN:**_

**_After this, we have an epilogue, and we're done! It's been a hell of a long journey for those here from the start, and I thank you for staying with me. It means a lot._**

**_I can unequivocally say this is my favourite chapter in this story. Hands down. I hope you love it as much as I do._**

**_This chapter contains quotes from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking-Glass (And What Alice Found There) by Lewis Carroll. All quotes remain copyrighted to the appropriate party. This chapter also borrows a bit from Down The Rabbit Hole. SM owns all things Twilight; I just like to fill in the gaping holes in my favourite character's tale._**

**_Last: this chapter is for the best beta ever and one of my dearest friends, sarawithouttheh._**

**In chess, a Desperado piece is one that seems determined to be captured; it often sacrifices itself after taking down as many pieces as possible. It is often a knight, due to their pattern of movements.**

* * *

The fire burned low, the dry kindling crackling beneath larger, charred pieces of fallen trees. A smoky scent blended with the faint memory of autumn grasses seeping through the melting snow nearby, a far more pleasant sort of decay than that which had burned hours before.

The woods had remained silent, save a scattering of his kind traveling through, the murmurs of pairs and nomads trumpeting the same glorious tune: the Volturi had been thoroughly trumped, their authority and intentions questioned. For some, revolt seemed justified now; for others, laying low seemed prudent, as the war seemed far from over.

Alistair was inclined to side with the latter. Aro would not suffer embarrassment for long. Undoubtedly, they would return to their precious castle, drawing newer, bloodier lines in their sandbox. He would covet the hybrid child like no other. _Just a little girl..._ He shook his head, bowing to the tome within his hands. _Experiments and tests: that's what he'd want. Using sentient beings as toys, without regard to their lives, their passion_s... Aro was a cruel master; he could never be allowed to possess the child, nor his Alice.

Alistair read quietly, his voice whispering on the winter winds: "_She stretched herself up on tiptoe, and peeped over the edge of the mushroom, and her eyes immediately met those of a large caterpillar, that was sitting on the top with its arms folded, quietly smoking a long hookah, and taking not the smallest notice of her or of anything else..."_

Distantly, a branch broke. Instinctively, he sprung to a defensive crouch, his senses keen, assessing threats. Someone approached: a vampire, a body cutting quickly through forest and snow drifts. Alistair inhaled deeply then dropped to the ground, startled at the delicate, sweet scent dancing in the breeze. _Tea and cakes... a dormouse_. Clutching his book, he continued to read, his thoughts racing wildly.

"_The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice_." Turning slowly, Alistair echoed the words of the Caterpillar: "_Who are YOU_?"

A child-life wisp of a figure, her pale skin radiant against the rich blue of her dress, smiled softly, responding in kind: "_I hardly know, sir, just at present- at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then_."

Her lips trembled, hands fidgeting at her sides as she stared at his disheveled green sweater and slacks, eyes wide with uncertainty and fear. Alistair closed the text gently, setting it atop his open pack and rising to his feet. Even now, knowing she was a grown woman with a husband, she seemed a child, his six feet of height dwarfing her. He remembered the pale blue of her mortal eyes, the way they had gazed upon him and seen not a monster, but the potential for something more meaningful, something _good_.

With a nervous smile, she spoke softly, "You're late."

And then she threw her arms around him, embracing him as he'd always believed she would someday. She embraced him as if he were a father.

"I am so, so sorry Alice," he whispered hoarsely, clutching her to him. "I returned to you, but you'd run... I should have tried harder, but I was so certain he'd-"

"Why'd you leave me?" Alice asked, her voice small. "Where did you go?"

She pulled away, sucking in a deep breath as she awaited his reply. There was a vulnerability to her posture, an innocence. It was _his_ Alice asking, not the beloved daughter of the Cullen family. The girl who had been abandoned by all those meant to care for her - even him.

"There was no other way," Alistair began, running a hand through his hair, struggling to find the words. "He'd seen you, while you were human. It was a game, once he knew you were special to me."

"James told me that you had turned me to protect me... That he'd killed you as punishment." Alice told him, a glint of anger in her eye. "I enjoyed watching him burn."

"He is dead, then?" At Alice's nod, Alistair smiled faintly. "I have wished death on very few of our kind. He has always been the top of my list."

Alice frowned, "That doesn't explain why you were gone, if you weren't dead. Or why I couldn't remember... anything..."

Alistair's eyes widened, "It worked, then?" Mumbling to himself, he paced, "And you were alone, a slate so clean yet so endangered..."

"Wait a moment; you did something to my memories?" Alice asked, growing irate. "You destroyed them and left me behind?"

Alistair shook his head, reaching out to touch her arm, "It wasn't the way it was planned. I was leading him away from you, allowing you time to change. I meant to kill him, and return to you before you woke. The Hunter came better prepared than I; he brought kerosene and a pistol. By the time I could move..." Alistair growled in frustration. "But that's no excuse. I should have found a way. And when his scent indicated he had tracked you and your trails ended sharply, I believed you his victim."

Alice's face softened, wincing at the mention of kerosene, "I crossed through the river... There was something chasing me and I... It seemed right. I didn't know who I was or where to go... what I was... Without the book you left, I'd have no name at all..."

"It was your favourite. You preferred to be called Alice, once I brought it to you. Even you wanted to shed the girl you left behind, when they locked the door behind you."

Alice crossed slowly to a fallen fir, settling upon it, "Tell me? Tell me who I was?"

Alistair sighed, "There was a lot of pain in those days, Alice. I took them for a reason."

"I know. I mean, I found my records..." Alice sighed deeply, looking to the moon. "My parents abandoned me and declared me dead to the outside world. They were afraid of my gift."

"Then you know of what they did to you? Oh, sweet girl, it pained me deeply, that family could forsake its own." Alistair's fists clenched, his teeth bared. "If they'd not had another child to care for, I may have rid the world of them back then."

"It's okay; if I hadn't... I never would have met Jazz if I had remained mortal. I don't remember the asylum at all... or you," Alice added, wistfully. "You did this?"

Alistair nodded, "When I realized that the electric shocks they forced upon you were stripping your memories days at a time - sometimes forever - I studied their techniques. On the night I stole you from that place, I took that equipment with me, with the belief that if you were to change while amnesiac... That you would have a fresh start. I wanted you to no longer weep, or feel shame for your gift. You were..."

"I was what?" Alice prodded gently, leaning towards him.

"You must understand first, that I was turned many decades before meeting you. During that time, I knew Carlisle. He saved my life, spared me punishment at the hands of the Volturi for being... indiscreet. I wasn't turned intentionally; I was an interrupted kill, vacationing alone in Rome. I had no wife, no children... Carlisle insisted we could choose to rise above our nature, and that place was where I did try to be something more than a killer." Alistair hesitated, turning away, "You were family to me... All I'd ever had."

Alice sobbed tearlessly, "I wish I remembered something..."

"At the end, you remembered very little. You remembered my name sometimes, and the book, and chess. You loved rabbits very much, even before I met you. Even if I... Very little would have come with you." Alistair knelt at her side, taking her hand gently, "You have a wonderful life now; that's all I ever wanted to give you. Funny how you came to be with Carlisle..."

"I saw him. I saw Jasper, too. I just-just followed the visions." Alice smiled, chuckling, "They were very surprised when we arrived on their doorstep! Edward was even more surprised when we stole his bedroom."

Alistair laughed heartily, throwing his head back, "From what I know of him, he must still hold a grudge. I would give anything to have seen his face."

"Oh, it was special, indeed! I'm pretty sure he spent months wanting to pitch us out on our asses, but then he and I became friends... He owes me for Bella, now. I should take one of his cars," Alice mused, winking.

"Is everyone... Did the Volturi harm any of you?" Alistair asked suddenly, his tone somber.

"They killed Irina," Alice admitted, "She was a long-time family friend. We're going to Alaska soon to help her coven cope. But no one else was harmed."

"And the Volturi have slithered back to their hole?" Alistair spat out.

"For now," Alice replied nervously. "But they will return." Alice paused, gazing at the fire that was mere embers now, brilliant crimson on green and white. "How did you know that Maria-?"

"I headed south... Once I knew that you were... I didn't want to stay. I wanted you to keep your life, as it was. But I also needed to make sure you were not followed, that you would be safe. I tracked them, lingering behind, from Nevada." Alistair shook his head. "She's worse than the Hunter, and I scarcely believed that possible."

"You mean..." Alice hesitated, her voice trembling, "You weren't going to speak with me? If all went as planned, I never would have known...?"

"You seemed happy, from the photos and how fondly others spoke of you. I didn't feel right to intrude."

"But you _made_ me! You saved me from that... that _place_!" Alice rose, shaking her head. "How could I not need to see you, to meet you?" She paused, leaning in. "The book still smells faintly of you," she added, scarcely audible.

Alistair ached with regret, with longing for lost time and most of all, with the pain of knowing he'd caused his cherished girl anguish. _Still she haunts me, phantomwise_... She had always been the ghost over his shoulder, whispering of his failures and beseeching him to atone, rattling his pocket watch chain while sipping tea. He never once dreamed that she would find her history and _be thankful _for his actions, not even when he stood in her room, surrounded by photos and other mementos.

"I am old, and a fool. You do know what they say about that combination."

Alice laughed, "No wonder you're the so-called 'eccentric' vampire."

"Is that what polite folk call a madman raving against the establishment now? Eccentric?" Alistair nodded, amused. "I hardly see how it is wrong to be wary of those in power. You understand this very well now, right?"

Alice frowned, "Far too well. It's only over for now."

Alistair sighed deeply, his hands thrust in his pockets. "And that is why, as much as every instinct screams to run to the Himalayas, I must return to Europe. I need to keep watch."

"No." Alice's voice scarcely registered as a whisper. "You're... You're not _leaving_ again?"

Alistair grimaced, "I have to-"

"No!" Alice shouted, seizing him by the shoulders. "You can't just leave now. You can't leave me again!"

"Alice..." Alistair winced, his hands flying to frame her cheeks. "It is for you, for Jasper, for your family that I _must_ leave. I can't afford to allow them the chance to endanger your lives. I can keep a much closer eye on them from there-"

"I'll see if they decide," Alice protested, her chin set.

"You don't think they've realized how your gift works now?" Alistair demanded. "They've read Edward's mind, haven't they? Surely, they have enough to know of your weaknesses. I heard enough of them from the mumblings of the army Carlisle and your kin had gathered. You need a fail-safe. I must do this."

Alice whimpered softly, "But I have so many questions. And what if I never see you again?"

"You will," Alistair replied firmly. "I won't let you down again, Alice."

"Must it be now?"

Alistair hesitated, his mind seeking Demetri's location; it grew farther away, with Italy still his intended path. _Surely, there is no immediate risk._ Her amber eyes flickered with hope at his refusal to reply, a small, child-like smile tugging at the left corner of her mouth. _Bloody hell; you're a soft one, Alistair_. His head shook slowly side to side, his shoulders shrugging.

"I can stay a little. But I truly don't feel comfortable intruding, particularly after departing so suddenly before the battle-"

"Nonsense!" Alice admonished. "You're Carlisle's friend, and mine as well. And that makes you a friend to Jasper as well. Everyone was free to choose not to fight; you chose to leave. And I'm very glad you did, considering how things may have gone with Maria."

"Where is he?" Alistair inquired anxiously. "Did Jasper not want to-"

"Oh! I asked him to give me time," Alice explained. "He came with me most of the way, but I saw that you wouldn't stay if he was with me, for some silly reason. He's waiting near our home."

"He's an intimidating man, even if he is a good one," Alistair confessed sheepishly.

"You should try playing chess with him," Alice giggled. "Speaking of that... Why did we play chess?"

Alistair would have blushed, if blood were able to rush through the marble skin of his cheeks. With trepidation, he reached into his pack, withdrawing a leather volume nearly as worn as his copy of _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_. Handing it to Alice, he glanced away, unable to meet her gaze.

"We read the first story many times, and although I'd mentioned a poem or phrase from this one, I decided to hold it back once the Hunter... Well, the story, it centres on chess. I thought you might enjoy the game as a precursor to the book."

Alistair listened as the pages rustled lightly, Alice's fingers dancing along the musty paper. He heard her sigh - not in exasperation, but more so a longing - and wondered if she thought him mad as the Hatter himself for his strange security blankets.

"We never read it; I had saved it for after the change. I've never been able to part with them..."

"Would you...?"

Her question hung in the icy air, the desolate clearing suddenly brimming with presence. Confused, he turned to meet her gaze - and found her arms stretching towards him, the book balanced upon her palms as if it were an offering.

"Would you read it to me?" Her voice trembled, her eyes darting about. "It must seem silly, but it seems as if you should-"

"It would be an honour," Alistair whispered hoarsely, accepting the text and gesturing to the wet earth beneath their feet. "But here-?"

"Yes. Here." Alice chose a drier place beneath a fir, where drifts of snow desperately reached towards but could not touch.

"As you wish, Alice." Settling beside her, he flipped open the cover, skipping ahead quickly to the first chapter, hands shuddering. "_Chapter One, L-Looking-Glass H-House_..."

A hand fell upon his knee, tapping gently but rapid-fire, a hummingbird thrumming. Startled, he looked to Alice, who beamed with pride.

"You've brought the rabbit. I knew you would..."

_She's remembered something_. Alistair nodded, tilting his head. "That's what you said-"

"-The first day you came with the book!" Alice laughed, leaning back against the tree. "It's fuzzy, but I remember that. I remember those words..." With a soft smile, she reached for his hand, squeezing it as it clutched the book. "Thank you, Alistair. For everything."

"Thank you, Alice, for teaching me what family means."

Alice shook her head, "One could say you taught me that as well, even if I didn't remember how I learned it." Her fingers grazed the open pages, "Shall we?"

With a soft smile and sturdier voice, Alistair continued, "_One thing was certain, that the white kitten had had nothing to do with it: - it was the black kitten's fault entirely_..."

* * *

**_Epilogue still to come! I have unfinished business :D What did you think?_**


	23. Epilogue

_**AN:**_

_This is it: the end of the story. It's a rather lengthy epilogue, but a necessary one, neatly looping back to Down The Rabbit Hole and giving us a small peek into the initial aftermath of Breaking Dawn._

_This was a long time coming, much longer than I ever imagined or intended. For those who have been reading along since the very beginning, I thank you for your patience and devotion to this story. I hope that, for those who requested this, that I have met your expectations and hopes._

_A very special thank you to some of my amazing readers of this story and its predecessor, in no particular order: anais mark, angelrob, antipyro, elana, Feisty, lofi, CoyoteGurlNikki, murasaki86, k1942, ermireallydontcare (who writes a fantastic story, btw), JRParz, and, of course, the best beta evar, **sarawithouttheh**, who has been my reason to finish when this story was driving me batshit insane._

_For the last time: SM owns all things Twilight; I just write her Alice, Jasper and Alistair in awesome ways. _

_**Excerpts contained in this chapter are credited as follows:**_

_The Victor Hugo passage is from Les Miserables_  
_The Saffiya passage is called Destiny's Love_  
_The Rainer Maria Rilke passage is from First Poems_

_Also, you may want to listen to this song, because it's my theme for Alice and Jazz, as we part (lyrics close the epilogue): Set The Fire To The Third Bar, by Snow Patrol  
_

_**Some visuals for this chapter (spoilery, so view after the first divider break): casket4mytears[dot]wordpress[dot]com/2010/10/02/visuals-through-the-looking-glass-epilogue-visuals/  
**_

_**Stay tuned to the end notes!**_

* * *

_June 3rd, 2007__. __1:57 a.m._

Her body slammed violently into the wall, her head rebounding as her assailant gripped her by her shoulders. A low growl slipped through his lips as he held her prisoner with the weight of his body, his eyes dark and narrow. Her breath caught in her throat, her mind immediately searching for a way out, a way to overpower him. But he was far too clever, and she knew it, as her body squirmed against the concrete.

"You bastard!" she snarled.

"We only have ten minutes," Jasper purred, then pressed his lips against hers in a frantic kiss.

Alice wrapped her arms around his neck, his hands sliding her upwards along the now cracked wall of their bedroom. Her legs wrapped around his waist as they deepened their kiss, her entire body burning for her husband's touch. Blonde curls gently tumbled to graze her cheeks as strong hands gripped her ass beneath her black mini-skirt, tearing away the lace thong beneath them in a swift motion.

"Didn't see me coming, did you?" Jasper murmured, licking her collarbone.

"Not at all," Alice moaned. "But now I do."

"If you'll be so obliging, ma'am," Jasper drawled, running a finger between her thighs lightly.

With a gasp, Alice nipped his neck, thrusting a hand between their bodies, fumbling for the zipper of his khakis and sending them flying to the carpet beneath him, "Hell yes!"

_Commando, huh?_ Alice thought happily. _How did I not see THAT this morning?_ His hands lifted her hips, his shaft plunging deeply inside of her, and they moaned in unison, their mouths hungrily reclaiming each other. _Oh yeah; I was busy arranging enough food to feed a wolf army tomorrow! And planning Bella's make-up. And her hair. And Edward's clothes..._ _OH GOD! _Alice bit back a scream as Jasper shifted, thrusting into her on an angle that left her entire body trembling with the delicious shock of pleasure that flooded her senses.

"I love you, Alice," he whispered hoarsely, his pace quickening.

"I love you so much," she replied softly, pressing her lips to his forehead as she felt herself building quickly to her own peak.

He groaned loudly, one hand steadying her at the waist while the other thumbed her pert nipples through the flimsy material of her blouse, her eyes rolling back as her heart sang in harmony with his. _He is mine. He was always made to be mine. _Her hands gripping his muscular shoulders, she deftly maneuvered her ankles over them, deepening their union and eliciting an intense moan from her lover. Their lovemaking was frantic, all stops pulled out, all sense of decency abandoned. It was primal, raw, pure instinct, and as Alice clawed his back, she gripped his face in her hands, pulling it to meet hers. Their eyes locked intensely upon each other, their cries of pleasure in harmony, an unspoken question in his gaze.

"Come inside me, Jazz," she ordered him, licking her lips. "_Please._"

Vampire speed was a tremendous asset, and gave a whole new dimension to the term 'quickie'. With several intense, rapid thrusts, Jasper moaned her name into her shoulder, spinning them and slamming his back into the wall, clinging to her waist. She joined him, their bodies in sync as they climaxed, her legs falling away to dangle as they spun, her palm pressed to his silent heart as she gasped for unneeded air.

"You are my soul," Jasper murmured, kissing her lightly.

"Impossibly and forever," Alice agreed, beaming.

"I can't wait to marry you, Ms. Brandon," Jasper exclaimed, tousling her hair.

"Again," she giggled, hitching her knees against his hips. "Spoon me?"

"I think we have a couple minutes," Jasper chuckled, carrying her to the bed.

From downstairs, they heard an exasperated shout: "Goddamn it, Jasper! You could have just _told us_ what you wanted to do before we leave!"

"Poor Edward!" they laughed together.

Their bodies curved together as they lay upon the cool silk sheets, Alice enveloped in Jasper's arms. He kissed the top of her head lightly, roaming each inch of it and lavishing her with love. This was the part Alice hated about her first wedding, and the extreme downside to this second union: the Cullens staunchly held 'no seeing the bride before the ceremony' rule was particularly painful when one never slept. Her eyes drifting to the clock, she sighed and pouted in frustration. _It's only two in the morning, damn it! The wedding is at __six thirty__ in the evening!_ Jasper, sensing her frustration, pulled her closer, kissing her neck.

"I need to seriously hunt before tomorrow, Alice."

"I know," Alice grumbled. "But you could stay until three."

Jasper chuckled, "Edward's still mad about his own 'night before' and wants me to help get Emmett back tonight. Besides, I know you have many plans to transform the house before we return, and I want to be surprised by the complete package my beautiful bride has in her imaginative mind."

Alice paused, a brief vision flashing before her, then grinned, "Five in the morning. Waterfall. Edward will have his chance."

Jasper chuckled, running his fingers lightly along her bare arm, "Duly noted. I know he's blocking us entirely right now in dread."

"Serves him right for being a nosy brother!" Alice called out loudly, giggling as she heard something smash, then Esme's admonishment for someone to replace the damaged item.

With a deep sigh, Jasper rolled Alice towards him, running his thumb along her cheek, "I'll miss you so much."

"What's sixteen hours?" Alice quipped, running her fingers through his messy hair. "You'd better go, though, before Emmett drags you out naked for the bachelor shenanigans."

"I love you."

"And I love you," Alice replied, sealing it with a gentle kiss. "I'll see you at six thirty sharp?"

Jasper smiled, reluctantly rolling out of the bed and onto his feet. "It's a date."

"I'll be the one in white," Alice teased.

"And I'll be the one in the crazy top hat," Jasper replied, Alice sticking out her tongue in response. Dressing quickly, he pulled Alice to her feet, leaning down to kiss her softly, his lips lingering. "Goodnight, love."

"And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation," Alice recited, smiling.

"Khalil Gabran." Jasper grinned. "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."

"Nietzsche."

A knocking on the door interrupted their playful challenge. "Yo, haul your ass out of there before I drag you out and throw you to the mountain lions barenaked!"

Adjusting her dress, Alice threw open the door, shaking her head. "Emmett, how many times have we had to drag you away from Rosalie?"

Emmett frowned, "Um..."

"Forty-two!" Rosalie shouted from down the hall. "And I am appalled, Emmett, that you can't even keep that straight! You're lucky I don't make you remember all of the anniversaries."

Emmett winced. "Jasper, seriously? Can we bail? I'm itchy for a good fight."

With a last longing look, Jasper relented. "Alright; let's get this over with. But get the devious thoughts out of your head, Emmett; you're radiating mischievous five year-old and Edward will have my back - and you _know it_."

"Spoilsport."

Emmett grumbled as they made their way down the winding staircase, Alice chuckling as she foresaw Emmett's later humiliation. _Serves you right, 'King Prankster'. _Passing them on the stairs, Bella punched Emmett in the arm, relishing the grimace of pain from her newborn strength. Her hair fell in loose waves along her shoulders, a test drive of tomorrow's perfected look.

"I remember having to let my husband go," she mused softly.

"Unfortunately, vampire minds do not forget. Nearly sixty years later, I still remember the _first_ time we endured this tradition nonsense," Alice sighed.

"Well, Unblushing Bride, what's on the agenda tonight while the boys are away?"

With a grin, Alice clapped her hands. "Full manicure and pedicure treatments, movies, girl talk, shopping first thing in the morning for shoes for the honeymoon..." At Bella's horrified face, Alice exploded into laughter. "Oh calm down, Bella! No shopping left to do, I swear! But we do need to finish up the place settings."

Bella nodded, "It was amazing how Angela found everything so quickly, wasn't it?"

"Church connections are crazy, Bella. They seem to stow a little of everything away for a rainy day!"

Bella smiled softly, "I'm glad to have her back, you know? I missed her."

Alice nodded, "I never would have seen it coming. You know, if I wasn't able to see it coming?"

Bella laughed, playfully shoving Alice as she recalled the strange good fortune that had resulted in Angela and Ben's invitation to the wedding, the only human guests aside from those very aware of the true nature of the Cullen family. Angela and Bella had remained in touch by email, Angela and Ben attending University of Washington while Bella was supposedly studying at Dartmouth. Unbeknownst to Bella, Angela had family in Boston, whom she decided to visit during her spring break in February. As Bella's emails had dropped off during the conflict with the Volturi, Angela was concerned, and sought Bella and Edward out - only to find they had never arrived, but had delayed their acceptance a year. Perplexed, Angela had phoned Charlie, whose vague responses had triggered Angela to ask for Bella's phone number. Charlie had feigned losing it, taking down hers, at which point Bella found herself unsure of how to proceed. Alice, however, had seen Angela researching Quileute legends online, and piecing together what Bella herself had suspected before Edward confessed their true nature.

Strangely enough, she took this in stride; she simply missed Bella, and needed to hear she was okay. When Bella had phoned her, Angela had simply asked her three questions: if she was happy; if she was healthy and safe; and if she could see her. They'd met at Charlie's first, Bella figuring his now learned acceptance of the changes in Bella would be a good model for Angela to have. Angela had simply embraced Bella, quietly whispering, 'You're a little cold', and then conversing as if nothing had happened. With Angela's promise that she would never mention Bella's whereabouts to any of their other classmates, they'd began meeting regularly, Bella traveling to Seattle every other week for a quick afternoon.

The wedding, however, was a perfect cover to invite Ben. Naturally, if Alice were marrying, the entire family would be home. Ben, always somewhat of a loner like Angela, wouldn't think twice of their being no other Forks High alumni. And with the wedding set to be followed by a reception with light snacks and no meal, the lack of eating by the vampires would easily go unnoticed, as it had during Bella and Edward's nuptials.

"Alright, let's get started on those place settings!" Rosalie announced, emerging from her bedroom. "I want to get started on the tent before dawn. Does Jacob have Ness?"

"Yup," Bella replied. "I wanted her to be just as surprised. He'll take her to Emily's place in the morning and return around three so she can get dressed."

"Well then, ladies," Alice announced, grinning. "Time to take a tumble down the rabbit hole!"

* * *

_June 3rd, 2007__. __5:49 p.m._

"I think if I were human, I'd be sick right now!"

Alice chuckled, embracing Bella, "Come on, sister; it's not even your wedding this time!"

Bella frowned, fidgeting with the sleeves of her dress, adjusting to reveal more collarbone, "I think it's like a form of post-traumatic stress, only I'm flashing back to that day and how terrified I was I'd trip down the stairs."

"Vampire grace takes care of even your clumsy feet, Bella," Rosalie snickered. "I think I've only seen you trip once, and that was when Emmett rigged that wire on April Fool's Day."

"Besides, unlike your wedding dress - which was absolutely _stunning_ and you know it - this one has a more flared skirt. Even human Bella could easily manage this. Now," Alice paused, twirling around, "how do I look?"

Rosalie and Bella smiled, nodding approvingly as they responded in unison: "Perfect!"

"Thank you!" Alice chirped, returning her gaze to the full-length mirror. "I really do love this dress. I can't wait for Jazz to see it."

For their second wedding, Alice had dramatically diverged from the ornate white gown and extensive train of their first union, opting for more of a Southern Belle's gown and ditching the train. This time, it was about celebrating the joy of their relationship and how far they had come, and Alice had captured the playful spirit in everyone's attire. Her strapless gown was custom detailed in pale blue ornate embroidered tiger lilies, a similar trim of ivy adorning the floor skimming hemline. Her hair was parted to the right, in loose pin curls reminiscent of 1950s pin-up girls, her gleaming ebony locks a nod to the year of their arrival in the Cullen home.

For her bridesmaids, she'd been sneaky in keeping them to theme, custom designing variations of her favourite modern take on her namesake. Both Bella and Rosalie wore a gauzy light blue fabric overlaying silk, with black lace trim and striping across the cleavage to the empire waist of the garment. For Rosalie, she'd left her in the exact replica, the single band of sleeve upon the right arm a bold and fashionable statement in fitting with her style, the adorning flower on the right breast adding to the unique flair. For Bella, a simplified look had been created; the flowering embellishment had been reduced to a smaller blossom, with the sleeveless feel of the original converted to dual 'off the shoulder' sleeves. It was a softer, more romantic look, and one she knew Edward would love. Rosalie's hair was upswept in a messy side knot of loose curls grazing her left shoulder, secured by diamond encrusted combs, while Alice had styled Bella's hair in loose waves tumbling down her back freely, with tiny butterfly combs tethering the front strands back on each side.

"How much longer?" Alice asked, her toe tapping in her 4-inch stilettos.

"Twenty-five minutes," Bella replied excitedly. "Rosalie, can you find Esme and see if everything's on schedule? And where did Renesmee go?"

"I think Esme's finishing up her hair down the hall. I'll go see."

As Rosalie departed, shutting the door gently behind her, Bella turned to Alice, her face solemn. Alice immediately knew what she would ask - and that she would have no reply to offer.

"Did Alistair respond at all?"

"No," Alice whispered. "We last spoke in March. He said he would do his best, but that he had to pursue some 'troubling leads' first." Wistfully, she gazed at the photo framed upon her dresser. "We didn't give much notice, admittedly. What with the newborns, and Nessie, and the Volturi, never mind comforting the Denali coven... Jazz and I almost forgot about what we'd decided to do."

In her mind, Alice could still recall clearly how Jasper had proposed anew, offering to marry her again, this time with her given human name. There would be no paperwork filed; the ceremony was purely symbolic. But it meant more than even she had realized when accepting the idea to marry as Mary Alice Brandon; it united her human and vampire selves into one whole entity. It was also another sign of Jasper's love for her, and his innate understanding of her heart and mind.

"He'll show," Bella insisted. "I just have a feeling."

Alice shook off her sadness, glancing at her bouquet and smiling, "He's here, nonetheless."

Bella's fingers toyed with the rabbit-shaped charm adorning the gathered flower stems, "Yes, he most certainly is. This is an amazing idea, Alice."

Alice embraced Bella tightly, careful not to mess her carefully styled hair, "I love you so much, Bella! You're the best friend I could have ever dreamed of."

"And so are you," Bella replied softly. "God, it's a good thing I can't cry anymore! I'd make a mess of this make-up you've forced me into."

Alice giggled, "It is a very nice perk of our immortality, I admit."

A light knock at the door startled the two women. "Are my daughters all decent?"

"Yes! Come in!" Bella called out.

Carlisle slipped into Alice's room, beaming at the sight of Bella and Alice. His blonde hair was slicked back and tucked under a prominent top hat, his tuxedo a crisp shade of black with a vibrant fiery tiger lily adorning the lapel. Alice curtsied, earning a giggle from Bella.

"Is it time yet?" Alice asked.

Carlisle laughed, "You've never had any patience, have you, Alice?"

"Absolutely not!" Bella answered quickly, cutting Alice off.

Alice stuck out her tongue at Bella, who smirked. "I do _so_ have patience! Otherwise, Edward never would have taken so damn long to date Bella! I would have just marched right up to her and told her that the brooding loner in our group was her soul mate, and that he would get better in time."

"You can't rush Edward into anything, Alice. Believe me; I _know_ from experience," Bella grumbled.

"Was that the sex or the vamping?" Alice teased.

"Both!" Bella groaned, shaking her head.

Carlisle cleared his throat loudly, "In answer to your question, it's almost time. Charlotte is just reviewing her notes for the ceremony."

Alice nodded, thrilled that Charlotte had obliged her and accepted her request to serve as an informal priestess for the day. As she and Jasper were not filing a licence anywhere, Alice had decided to choose a friend to perform a basic reading she'd chosen, instead of an official. Edward and Bella's wedding had been the first in the family for some time, in that a human had performed the marriage. Charlotte had agreed without any hesitation, calling the entire affair 'incredibly romantic'.

"Momma?"

Bella peered beyond Carlisle, throwing open her arms to greet her daughter, "There's my beautiful girl!"

"Isn't she stunning?" Rosalie asked, trailing behind her. "The dress is just perfect for her."

Alice found herself mesmerized by her niece, all desire to snatch up her bouquet and storm down to greet her husband forgotten. Her bronze ringlets cascaded down to her shoulders, a sharp contrast with the white upper half of her sleeveless dress. The sash at her waist, and the lower tier of the dress were the same pale blue in Alice's gown, the appearance of it loosely reminiscent of a white pinafore over a blue skirt. Her brown eyes widened as she rushed to greet Alice, her fingers tracing the wedding gown's embroidery.

"Aunt Alice, you're a princess!" Renesmee exclaimed.

"And so are you!" Alice gushed, scooping her up into her arms. "It looks like Carlisle's math held out; it fits just right now."

"Ten months old and preschooler sized," Bella sighed. "Well, I suppose there are worse things than an accelerated rush through the Terrible Twos."

"This one doesn't know how to be terrible!" Alice gushed.

"Except to the dog, but no one cares about him," Rosalie quipped.

"My Jacob is my chew toy," Renesmee announced proudly. "That's what Leah says."

"She is very right about that," Bella agreed. "Feel free to kick him in the shins whenever you want." Alice stifled a laugh; Bella was still somewhat bitter about the imprinting business.

"Knock, knock," Esme's voice rang out, as she stepped into the room. "Charlotte is ready whenever you are... Oh, Alice! Jasper will be speechless!"

"I personally think the reception dress is the one that will drop his jaw, but he _is_ the Southern Gentleman," Rosalie mused aloud.

"Thanks, Esme. Is Edward ready to play?"

"I just have to give him the word. Everyone's here," she added, "Angela and Ben are engaged? Why didn't someone tell me?"

"Wait - what?" Bella asked. "She never told _me_!"

"Gorgeous ring, too: a very simple solitaire diamond, princess cut, three carats, I think? Very high quality stone. Platinum setting." Esme shook her head, reaching for Carlisle's hand. "I love weddings."

Alice turned to the mirror one last time, addressing a hair that had strayed ever so slightly out of place. "Okay. Okay, get Edward to start. I'm ready."

Esme and Carlisle exchanged a look, then Esme spoke up, "Peter wanted to ask you something before the ceremony. I'll go get him. Bella, Rosalie, could you help me fetch your bouquets?"

Her family departed en masse, leaving Alice with nothing to do but wait for the familiar notes of Pachelbel. Gently, she picked up her bouquet of bright orange tiger lilies and white daisies, shifting a flower slightly to even out the distribution of colour. _Perfect_. Her fingers grazed the rabbit charm and she sighed, her gaze drifting to the book on the nightstand. _I wish you would have come, Alistair_.

She understood his hesitations; he'd remained with them for two days after Alice had beseeched him to stay, the bulk of which he spent walking with Alice and Carlisle, alternately. He found Rosalie intimidating, felt shame around Bella and Edward, and Renesmee's gift unnerved his naturally paranoid nature. When he had departed, he'd promised to visit again, someday, but 'not for some time'. There was much he wanted to work out, and he hoped that his discussions with Carlisle had put him on the right pathway.

"But I will call and write," he'd added quickly. "We will stay in touch, Alice. That I _can_ promise you."

While she knew he monitored the Volturi closely now, out of love for her and guilt over abandoning her family, it still pained her that he couldn't show. _He would, of everyone, appreciate this the most_. But there was no sense in being sad; this was why pictures were invented, after all. Emily was in charge of documenting the entire day for her, from start to finish, a gift from her and Sam, who'd warmed up to the Cullens at Jacob's insistence. Peter's knock shattered her reverie, and Alice skipped to the door, pulling it open with a smile -

Except, it wasn't Peter.

"Hello, my Alice," Alistair whispered. "Am I late?"

Alice stumbled backwards, taken aback as a flood of confusion and joy overtook her. _What? How? I didn't... _Alistair's hair was blonde, as it had been in his mortal life; he'd abandoned the tedious dye he'd chosen in the years after her presumed demise at James' hands. His suit was new - Armani, and a classic cut - and in his hand, he held a small white box, fastened with a green ribbon.

"Alistair? But... But you said - "

"Bella changed my mind," he explained with a nervous shifting between feet.

Alice tilted her head, "But I never saw you-"

Alistair winked, "Bella provided some incredibly useful information - and the company of a young man named Seth?"

_Seth!_ In all of the hustle and frenzied preparations, it had escaped her notice that Seth Clearwater, normally a fixture in the Cullen home, was absent. She remembered a mention of him patrolling, but nothing more. _I wouldn't have seen around him_.

"You came," she whispered.

"I wasn't certain until I arrived in Vancouver, where Seth met me. I didn't want to intrude on a family event-"

"But you _are_-"

"Let me finish, Alice," Alistair insisted. "When speaking with Seth, he told me of the theme of your special day, and it made me realize that I would be wrong not to come. I was already included."

Alice threw her arms around Alistair, embracing him tightly, "I am so glad you're here! This day is even more magical now."

Alistair held her close, beaming as he whispered, "What would a day in Wonderland be without The White Rabbit? Although," he paused, his gaze falling upon her bouquet, "It seems you have one already."

Alice pulled away, grinning, "Something borrowed. Edward helped me track it down in a private collection. It belonged to a descendant of Alice Liddell. We're returning it next week."

"How fitting! I see you have something blue, in your gown," Alistair noted.

"The undergarments are all new." Her hand moved to her throat, a small curse escaping her lips, "Damn it! Rosalie was supposed to lend me a choker for today. Would you be able to go down and stall them, so I can find it in her room?"

Alistair chuckled, "Your family is well ahead of you, Alice." Handing her the box, he said, "Something old."

Alice accepted the gift anxiously, her eyes darting between the box and Alistair's warm expression. At his urging, she removed the ribbon and the lid, gasping at what lay inside. The complex Art Nouveau choker was of several strands of fine quality silver, the links gleaming between sun and moon charms accented by tiny diamonds. Gingerly removing it from the box, she held it to Alistair, the setting sun's beams reaching through the window and dancing along it.

"It's beautiful. Where did you get it? How did you know to bring this?"

Alistair chuckled, "It wasn't intended as part of the wedding, I confess. I bought it in March at an auction of late 1800s jewelry, thinking it seemed like a gift you would appreciate. When I arrived downstairs, I passed Rosalie, who was on her way with your original accessory. Of course, if you would prefer hers-"

"Don't be silly!" Alice admonished, turning her back to him. "Fasten it for me?"

With trembling hands, Alistair accepted the choker from her, fumbling with the ornate clasp but managing to secure it. Alice returned to the full-length mirror, admiring the gift, speechless at how suddenly things had changed, not only in the last five minutes, but the last year. She had a mortal name, answers she had always sought and thought lost, a new sister and best friend - and a niece she didn't have to visit in the shadows of a nursing home. And, thanks to Alistair's help, she had recovered two faint memories of her human life, both happy ones from their time together. _What more could I want?_ Alice thought happily, her mind immediately replying: _One thing_...

"Alistair, may I ask you something? A favour - no, a gift?" Alice hesitated, afraid to check her visions, lest she be disappointed.

"Of course you may," Alistair replied, "Although I'm not sure what I could give you-"

A knock sounded on the door, and downstairs, Alice could hear Edward striking the keys on his piano, the opening notes of his reworked Canon in D Major filling the Cullen home. Carlisle stepped into the room, his hand outstretched to Alice.

"It's time."

Alice bit her lip lightly, "Carlisle, I was wondering something-"

"I think I know what you mean; Edward mentioned it a few days ago," Carlisle interjected, smiling warmly. "I absolutely agree."

"I am absolutely confused," Alistair grumbled.

With a nervous smile, Alice took her creator's hand, squeezing it gently, "Alistair, would you please... Well, would you walk me down the aisle?"

"What? Oh heavens, I couldn't possibly interfere with Carlisle's role here-"

"But it's your role as well, old friend," Carlisle insisted. "How many hours did we spend in the youth of our friendship, discussing the nature of covens and the possibility of family? Family isn't only those who care for us, nor is it those who give us life from the womb. We make our own families, as best we can. Alistair," Carlisle paused, laying a hand upon the fidgeting vampire's shoulder, "You took it in your heart to be a stronger person, to care for those forgotten by their original families. Alice was orphaned before you became her guardian, her protector. You are every bit a father as I am to her, and I think you need this. But most importantly of all, and only Alice can confirm it, _she _needs this."

Bella's head peeked into the room, "Rose and Emmett are heading down."

Alistair hesitated, shuffling his feet, "Alice?"

"Every word Carlisle said is true," she whispered. "Please?"

With a glance to Carlisle, he extended a hand towards Alice, swallowing hard. "If it makes you happy, I cannot refuse you. It would be an honour."

Bella winked as she slipped into the hall with Carlisle, Alice and Alistair following briskly. Alice watched as Bella and Carlisle's arms interlocked, overwhelmed with gratitude for the fact that Bella had always understood, and had made her dream a possibility through determination (and clever exploitation of the gaping holes in her visions!). As her sister and one father made their descent, she beamed, leaning her head gently against Alistair's shoulder.

"Alice?"

"Hmm?"

"How is it so easy for you to welcome me back into your heart? Without your memories-"

"My mind forgot; my heart remembers, all the same," she replied softly. Interlocking her arm in his, she took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of tiger lilies, daisies and light ferns. "Time for our arrival!"

His hand gently over hers, they descended the spiraling staircase, their steps perfectly in sync, as if it had always been this way. She clung to her bouquet, the silver rabbit charm bouncing lightly off her knuckles, as if hopping towards the aisle, as anxious to arrive for her date as she was. She stifled laughter, but it did not escape Alistair's notice.

"What has you in stitches now? Have you finally answered the Hatter's riddle?"

"No, silly Rabbit," Alice murmured. "I was marveling at the bounce in the bunny on the bouquet."

"Well, I am six decades late," Alistair mused.

They were now at the bottom of the stairs, one short turn from the small group of witnesses awaiting them. With a spring in her step, Alice rounded the corner with her other father, her eyes immediately locking on her husband-again-to-be. His blonde locks were tucked just slightly haphazardly beneath the large top hat, the brim trimmed in a thin band of vibrant orange to match the tiger lily upon his lapel. From his pocket dangled an antique gold watch, at her behest; it glinted under the strings of star-shaped lights illuminating the dining room. His golden eyes darted to Alistair then back, his smile broadening as he was inevitably hit with the wave of sheer joy from her brimming heart. Her tiny feet seemed to land perfectly between the white rose petals Renesmee had scattered along her walk, her gown swishing against her ankles as she made her way between the two halves of their intimate crowd of guests. Not even the distinct canine scent of half of the attendees could bother her today, not when the man she had first seen almost a full century ago awaited her with such child-like anticipation. Charlotte grinned, winking as Alice approached, and she instinctively knew that Bella had employed her aid as well in pulling off this surprise. _I will thank __Charlotte__ with many outfits and shoes... and Bella, well... she can learn to love shoes_. Alistair's body tensed as they paused at the end of the aisle, Carlisle and Esme kissing Alice's cheeks lightly before finding their seats.

"Who gives this woman away?" Charlotte's voice asked softly.

"I-I do," Alistair managed, placing Alice's hand in Jasper's outstretched palm. "He's everything I could have hoped for you," he added softly, stepping backwards.

"Thank you," Jasper said. "For her."

A silent exchange passed between them, Alistair nodding ever so slightly as he followed Emmett's gesture to his seat in the front row, near Esme. Alice's entire body electric with anticipation, she stepped up before Charlotte with Jasper's hand firmly in hers. His love for her was a dizzying head rush he could not contain within him, the entire room awash in his singular devotion to her. With a toss of her pale blonde hair, Charlotte looked to Edward, who neatly wrapped his playing with a delicate flourish before taking his spot beside Emmett. Satisfied, she began to speak, her gentle voice filled with love.

"Victor Hugo wrote, in one of Jasper's favourite texts, the following about love: 'You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love. Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again. And great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves. And even loved in spite of ourselves.'

"We are here today to witness the commitment of Jasper Whitlock and Mary Alice Brandon, before their family and friends, to love and support one another for the rest of their lives." Charlotte winked subtly at them, then continued. "At the request of the bride, I would like to invite Bella Cullen to give a reading by Rainer Maria Rilke."

Bella smiled, her hand grazing Alice's arm as she took Charlotte's place, clearing her throat loudly. With an encouraging smile from Edward, Bella began to speak.

"_Understand, I'll slip quietly  
Away from the noisy crowd  
When I see the pale  
Stars rising, blooming over the oaks.  
I'll pursue solitary pathways  
Through the pale twilit meadows,  
With only this one dream:  
You come too_."

With a small nod, Bella returned to Alice's side, as Charlotte spoke, "At the groom's request, Edward Cullen will now deliver a reading by Saffiya."

Edward briskly took his place, confidently proceeding with his assigned reading:

"_A fortunate meeting defined by fate and revealed by destiny_

_an enchanting moment beyond the realm of reason_

_cunningly disguised in direst circumstances _

_whose touch is visible only to poetic souls_

_It chooses its own time and place_

_evermore pretentious of purpose,_

_Crossing its hollowed path is futile_

_even frustrating to willing victims_

_'cause it doesn't bend its will to ones' desire_

_Teasing a consoled mind to go astray_

_that's always a part of the plan;_

_Yet it likewise reassures us to hold on ..._

_to believe in destiny_

_and to let fate guide us on our journey_

_We are all willing victims to its wicked ploy_

_battling confusion, doubt, love and pain_

_with a fragile sword_

_'tis we hang on to a flicker of hope,_

_'cause we believe in destiny_

_and so it is, that I find this to be_

_the best explanation why I believe in you_."

From behind her, Alice swore she heard Esme sob quietly, a joyful sound. _How fitting a way to capture how we met, how impossible it would seem that we would ever meet!_ Alice glanced at Jasper, who mouthed, 'I love you' quickly, and she grinned, winking back at him.

Charlotte walked them through the basic vows and exchange of rings, their original rings recently polished and restored to their original glory by a trusted jeweler Carlisle had found in Seattle. It was strange and wonderful, how new it all felt in spite of their being married for decades. In that moment, Alice felt as if she were a teenager, stepping out into the world on her own at last. It was a wonderful and intoxicating experience.

Rings exchanged, Charlotte then called upon them to proceed with their 'requested war', eliciting a chuckle from the Quileutes, who'd discovered in the last week that Alice and Jasper often played a game of 'Dueling Quotes' for a lark. The rules were two-fold: the winner not only could stump the other, but also choose a quote more fitting or so unique, there was nothing to follow upon it with. Jasper had challenged her to three rounds during the ceremony, and she could not help but accept. He'd even bet against her, something she knew was to deliberately incite her indignation. _Too bad he won't win!_ Alice thought cheerily, as Edward chuckled softly.

Jasper went first, his hands clutching hers as he stared into her eyes, "_'What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together- to strengthen each other in all labor, to minister to each other in all sorrow, to share with each other in all gladness, to be one with each other in the silent, unspoken memories_?'"

"George Eliot," Alice replied, winking at Peter. He'd accidentally thought of the quote earlier in the week. "_'Marriage, noun: a community consisting of a master, a mistress, and two slaves, making in all two_.'"

The guests chuckled as Jasper paused, then smiled, "Ambrose Bierce, _The Devil's Dictionary_, am I right?" As Alice nodded, he continued, "_Love is blind, but marriage restores its sight_."

"Well played!" Alice giggled. "But that would be Samuel Lichtenberg. '_People who are sensible about love are incapable of it._'"

Jasper shook his head, "Far too easy, quoting Yates. '_I learned the real meaning of love. Love is absolute loyalty. People fade, looks fade, but loyalty never fades. You can depend so much on certain people, you can set your watch by them_.'" At this, Jasper swung his pocket watch side to side, playfully. "_'And that's love, even if it doesn't seem very exciting._ '"

Alice hesitated, feigning ignorance. _He would have had me on this one, if I, too, hadn't gone looking for a random celebrity quote! Cheeky bastard!_ Edward stifled a laugh as she glared at him. _Oh, get out of my head, you!_ With a lick of her lips and a look to their waiting audience, she answered the challenge.

"Been watching a lot of _Rocky_ lately? I can't think of another reason you'd be quoting Sly Stallone right now." Jacob guffawed behind her as she flexed her fingers, then rubbed her hands together. "For the win, dear Jasper, unsuccessfully identify this: '_I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next_.'"

They locked eyes, Jasper's brow furrowing as he strained to name the source of her quote. Alice knew he'd never get it; he seldom gave enough attention to comedic quotes. It was why she'd stacked her ammunition in that genre. With a sigh, Jasper bowed to her, tipping his hat.

"I concede."

The guests laughed as Alice patted his head in patronizing fashion, trilling the answer loudly, "Gilda Radner! I'll accept that hundred dollars you now owe me in twenties."

Alistair's rich chuckle delighted Alice as Charlotte again stood before them, her body tense with excitement. "Such is marriage, Jasper: the woman will always win, even if she happens to lose." Jasper laughed heartily, as did Carlisle, and she continued. "Jasper, Alice, you have made your vows here today before family and friends to honour each other, love each other, and face all challenges together, as long as you walk this earth. I happily pronounce you man and wife. Jasper, you may kiss the bride!"

Their kiss was soft, delicate but passionate, enough to earn a few hoots from Quil and Embry. Alice threw her arms around Jasper's neck, inhaling the rich scent of his flesh, his lips warm and inviting. _Maybe I see why Rosalie enjoys this so much_, Alice mused. _Bicentennial renewals could be fun!_ As they parted reluctantly, Jasper's hand cupped her cheek gently, thumb brushing her cheekbone.

"Impossibly and forever," he murmured.

"There was never a doubt in my mind."

* * *

Alice had, with Esme and Rosalie's help, switched dresses quickly, the corset-like lacing woven quickly into place with the benefits of vampire speed and dexterity. This dress, a sleeveless number with tiered layers of silk and lace, fell barely to her knees, revealing far more of her pale skin. Jasper's jaw literally dropped as she entered the garden, earning a triumphant noise from Rosalie as she moved to embrace her own husband tightly.

The hours of work the night before had proven a wild success, the guests marveling at the strange and colourful decorations adorning the mismatched banquet tables lining the fringes of the dance floor they'd installed custom-made for the day. Ornate and strange tiered serving platters of scones, cookies and individual cakes were fashioned of old china plates and broken saucers, handmade wooden signs beseeching those passing to 'Eat Me'. The wolves were doing a fine job of ensuring just that, their thirst quenched by handmade blown glass bottles with cork stoppers filled with a variety of juices and wine, delicate fluttering ribbons adhering tags that read, 'Drink Me.' A wild variety of teacups were strung up in the trees, twinkle lights nestled within to create shadows and spotlights upon the brightly hued tiles where Alice and Jasper now danced, bodies pressed tightly against each other. Nearby, Renesmee flitted about with a jam tart in her hand, entertaining Angela with an animated story about beating up Jacob in a wrestling match.

"A mad tea party, indeed!" Jasper mused. "Vampires and wolves, celebrating together. Who ever would have imagined it?"

"I know; it's surreal, isn't it?" Alice replied, giggling as Jasper twirled her around. "What's Edward sulking about?"

"I don't know," Jasper frowned. "Let's dance on over and make him sulkier."

The couple sidestepped and spun their way across the floor, to where Bella and Edward were huddled, Edward glaring sadly at Jacob and Sam, who were arguing over a brownie. Bella smiled warmly, embracing the couple as they neared her, shaking her head in exasperation at Edward.

"What's wrong?" Jasper asked.

"Edward's perturbed that he can't eat or drink anything," Bella laughed.

"What? The smell of food is... well, not a pleasing food smell," Alice exclaimed, shoving her brother's arm.

"Yeah, but the labels... I feel taunted. Like a dare I can't accept. 'Eat Me!' Well, damn it, I can't! Ness can, lucky girl."

"Oh I'm sure Bella has something you can eat," Alice teased, Bella's horrified gasp well worth the expletives running through Edward's head. "Besides, we have a little snack planned for when our warm-blooded guests depart."

"Really?"

Jasper nodded, "Alice saw that you'd be a brat. There are bottles of mountain lion's blood tucked away for us in the house, a wedding gift from the Denali coven."

"I wish they could have made it," Bella sighed.

"They're still coming to terms with the loss of Irina," Edward noted. "It's hard to feel festive during a time of grief. They didn't want to bring you down on your special day."

A tapping upon Alice's shoulder distracted her from thoughts of their family's loss, her eyes turning to meet Alistair's dark pupils. His smile was nervous, but friendly, and Alice knew before he spoke that it was time to let him go. She embraced him tightly, her lips pressing to his cheek gently.

"Thank you for being here. It meant so much to me."

"To us," Jasper corrected. "It wouldn't have been a tea party without you."

Alistair chuckled, gesturing to the lights overhead. "This is genius. A mad sort of genius. I'm glad Bella was able to talk some sense into me, in the end."

"She's a stubborn woman, once she sets her mind on something," Edward remarked dryly, earning a playful slap from Bella.

"I didn't want there to be any false assumptions between us, Alistair," Bella explained. "You're an extended part of the family now, and you are welcome with all of us. Don't be a stranger."

"I won't be - not intentionally, in any case. But I do have to return to Germany promptly. There was some, shall we say, talk of an uprising against Volterra brewing, and I want to track it carefully." Alistair frowned, shaking his head. "No rest, if the wicked have their way. Alice, Jasper, I have nothing but faith in your ability to persevere in your love. Enjoy your Wonderland, everyone. I'll see myself out."

With a last fond look at Alice, he departed, walking anxiously past a small gathering of Quileutes before darting into the forest surrounding them, heading north. Alice's heart fell at the sight; there was never enough time with him. She longed to continue to prod her brain, will the long lost memories forward of her life before immortality, even if Edward insisted that perhaps things were best left in the ethers. Jasper's hand squeezed hers lightly as the song shifted, his mind washing her sorrow away with his devotion.

"Dance?"

With a curtsey, Alice nodded, "Good sir!"

She fell easily into his embrace, Edward pulling Bella onto the floor reluctantly as the music played. The lyrics, a soft duet, spoke to her very soul, an echo of the long journey that had brought her though the confusion and loneliness, until there was only Jasper, only harmony. Only hope.

That hope, she knew, would carry all of them forward, no matter what the Volturi might dare. She would never fear her demise again, never doubt the power that a family united could wield. As Jacob scooped up Nessie into his arms, dancing her around in wild, silly circles, even Sam and Emily joined the dance, a harmony struck between once opposing forces. There was peace in the Olympic Peninsula, a happily ever after worthy of the grandest fairytales.

Someday, Alice knew they would tumble once more through the proverbial looking-glass, and the world would lose sense, but for now, as Lewis Carroll wrote himself, '_Life, what is it but a dream_?'

_I find the map and draw a straight line  
Over rivers, farms, and state lines  
The distance from 'A' to where you'd be  
It's only finger-lengths that I see  
I touch the place where I'd find your face  
My finger in creases of distant dark places_

I hang my coat up in the first bar  
There is no peace that I've found so far  
The laughter penetrates my silence  
As drunken men find flaws in science

Their words mostly noises  
Ghosts with just voices  
Your words in my memory  
Are like music to me

I'm miles from where you are,  
I lay down on the cold ground  
I, I pray that something picks me up  
And sets me down in your warm arms

After I have traveled so far  
We'd set the fire to the third bar  
We'd share each other like an island  
Until exhausted, close our eyelids  
And dreaming, pick up from  
The last place we left off  
Your soft skin is weeping  
A joy you can't keep in

I'm miles from where you are,  
I lay down on the cold ground  
And I, I pray that something picks me up  
and sets me down in your warm arms

**_Set The Fire To The Third Bar - Snow Patrol_**

* * *

_Thank you, again, for coming along for the journey. I thought that these two deserved the second wedding Jasper proposed at the end of DTRH, after all they'd endured. **Fact: Lewis Carroll first met Alice Liddell on June 3rd properly, establishing the friendship that would inspire his books.**_

_I've said this will be my last canon multi-chapter, but please subscribe to me as a favourite author, since I will do one-shots set in this world, and MAYBE, just maybe, I'm going to tackle a Victoria-centric piece from when James turns her through to Eclipse. The one-shots will likely be set pre-Twilight or post-Breaking Dawn._

_My angsty AU AH Tattoos Like Mile Markers is still ongoing, and I love it dearly. Alice is particularly awesome in her supporting role, so give it a go if you're inclined._

_**I'm also pulling Deliratio from the vault and putting it back online tonight!** I shelved it because I was swamped with this and Tattoos; now that we're wrapped here, I'm itching to be a little scary, especially with Halloween around the bend._

_**Last chapter, guys: please review, rate, and tell me what you think.**_


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